Earlier in the winter session of Parliament in 2007. , Photo credit: The Hindu
Even though women have been breaking the glass ceiling of patriarchy in every field, politics is the arena where women find it most challenging to find a place. India may have gained suffrage sooner, but women still face significant barriers to political participation and lack the right to govern. It is disheartening to see that even after 75 years of independence, half the population is not adequately represented in Parliament, with women holding only 14% of the seats. It is time to acknowledge the systematic exclusion of women from politics and demand action to create a more equitable political landscape.
A regression after a promising start
Women played an important role in India’s freedom struggle by organizing demonstrations, leading rallies, and raising awareness. There were many women representatives in the Constituent Assembly as well. Just a decade ago, three of India’s largest states, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, were in the news for being led by women chief ministers. While Sushma Swaraj led the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi served as both the president of the Congress party and the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance. Also, India’s first female President, Pratibha Patil was around the same time.
Despite the presence of influential women in Indian politics, we have regressed since the 1980s and the status of women in India is far from ideal as a result of patriarchal backlash. So it would not be wrong to surmise that the issue of political representation of women is a larger matter as opposed to symbolic representation.
The discourse on women’s reservation in India dates back to the pre-independence era when several women’s organizations demanded political representation for women. This can be traced back to 1955 when a government-appointed committee recommended that 10% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures should be reserved for women. However, it was not until the 1980s that the demand for women’s reservation gained momentum. The National Perspective Plan for Women (1988) recommended that 30% of seats in all elected bodies should be reserved for women. This recommendation was reiterated in the National Policy for Empowerment of Women adopted in 2001.
In 1993, the Panchayati Raj Act was amended to reserve 33% seats for women in local government bodies, a significant step towards political empowerment of women. The success of this reservation gave rise to a demand for similar reservations in other elected bodies; In 1996, Women’s Reservation Bill introduced In Lok Sabha. The bill proposes to reserve one-third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. Although it fizzled out in the face of strong opposition from some political parties, it gained momentum again in the early 2000s. On 9 March 2010, The bill was approved in the Rajya Sabha, Sonia Gandhi, Sushma Swaraj, and the CPI(M)’s Brinda Karat posed for photographs outside Parliament smiling and holding hands, indicating that the fight was much bigger than personal political affiliations.
global example
Around the world, women leaders are outperforming their male counterparts. Scandinavian countries have implemented policies and governance structures that support gender equality and women’s empowerment, including representation of women in political and leadership positions.
Furthermore, countries led by women have shown some of the best policies and governance practices. The deep scars of the genocide in Rwanda, a Central African country, are being healed by a leadership that primarily includes women; It has also resulted in major social reforms.
Norway implemented a quota system in 2003 that required women to hold 40% of seats on corporate boards. Now, the time has come for women in India, the ‘mother of democracy’, to lead the nation.
A leader in ‘Amrit Kaal’?
Babasaheb Ambedkar believed that the progress of a community can be measured by the progress achieved by women, but we are still far away from that benchmark. Equality can’t wait any longer and the time for change is now. Women have been waiting too long for their right to rule – not just for themselves but for the greater common good. The qualities of women leadership are not hidden from anyone, so denying them the opportunity of political representation shows grave injustice.
A nation that is still struggling to provide basic health care and education necessary for a dignified life of citizens, must now entrust the task of transforming India to women.
As India strives to become a Vishwa Guru, we should not ignore the important role of women in nation building and development. The Women’s Reservation Bill cannot wait any longer. The bill should be passed.
Reena Gupta, National Spokesperson, Aam Aadmi Party