The Complexity of Abortion Laws: Federalism’s Impact on Women’s Reproductive Rights

Brazil, Canada, Decentralization, Federalism, Fiscal Federalism, Gender, Health Care, Identity, Service Delivery, Subnational Autonomy

Author: Shaoni Chakraborty: Abortion is a deeply complex and contentious issue that involves questions of healthcare, morality, legality, and gender rights. The regulation of abortion laws is often influenced by a country’s legal, cultural, religious and political frameworks. Federalism, which divides governmental powers between national and constituent unit governments, can have profound effects on the accessibility and implementation of abortion laws, which in federal systems can often differ significantly between levels of government.

Locally-Led Grassroots Peacebuilding Movements and Community Involvement in African Federations

Conflict, Decentralization, Democracy, Fragility, Peacebuilding

Author: Natalia Valero: Recent and past conflicts in Africa reflect the diverse and complex political, economic, cultural, and ethnic background of the continent. In countries such as South Africa, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, a federal system with multilevel governance has been presented as a model able to accommodate diversity. In a multilevel system, cooperation, partnership, and power distribution operate to varying degrees in order to deal with divisions along territorial, social, political, and cultural lines. In this way, federal governance systems may act as a peacebuilding tool.

Dalits and Decentralization: Federalism’s Impact on the Caste System

Decentralization, Democracy, Gender, Identity, India, Political Autonomy, Subnational Autonomy

Author: Shaoni Chakraborty: India’s governance system has traditionally been characterised by a specific form of federalism known as “centralised federalism.” In contrast to the classic conception of federal government, in which constituent units operate with significant autonomy with explicitly delineated independent spheres of authority, India’s system grants substantial powers to the Central government, allowing it to intervene in state affairs.