Thousands of junior doctors in India are refusing to end their protests after the rape and murder of a fellow doctor, continuing to disrupt hospital services nearly a week later.
The protests began after the tragic death of a 31-year-old trainee doctor, who was raped and killed at a hospital in Kolkata.
A police volunteer has been arrested for the crime. Despite government calls for doctors to return to work, they are demanding safer working conditions and a quicker investigation into the crime.
Reuters reports that women activists believe this incident highlights ongoing issues with sexual violence in India, even after tougher laws were passed following the infamous 2012 gang-rape case in New Delhi.
Doctors across India, including in Odisha, New Delhi, and Gujarat, have joined the protest, refusing to see non-emergency patients until their demands are met.
On Sunday, supporters in Kolkata marched in solidarity, demanding justice for the victim.
Gita Gopinath from the International Monetary Fund emphasized that ensuring workplace safety is essential to increasing women’s participation in India’s workforce, Reuters reports.