At ease

Women empowerment and gender sensitivity in the workplace may be politically correct objectives to talk about, but the country's investigative agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, seems unable to shake off the old paternalism that dominates institutional thinking in India. Asked why there were so few women recruits in the agency, a senior officer countered that the agency hoped to attract more women by making things "easier" for them. This "easing" includes not requiring women to do field work or work late hours. Instead, he added, they could do desk jobs.