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Women In Politics
Context:
Lok Sabha’s gender composition has shown a general trend towards increasing women’s representation with slow progress. However, it has decreased in the 18th Lok Sabha.
More on News:
- India has elected 74 women MPs to Lok Sabha in 2024, four fewer than in 2019 and 52 more than in India’s first elections in 1952.
- In 1952, women made up just 4.41% of the strength of the Lower House and currently 13.63% of the elected strength of the Lower House.
- India still lags behind several countries — 46% of MPs in South Africa, 35% in the UK, and 29% in the US are women.
Significance of Women’s Participation:
- Improved Decision-Making and Empowerment: Women’s leadership in political decision-making processes improves outcomes.
- For example, in India, the number of drinking water projects in areas with women-led councils was 62% higher than in those with men-led councils according to UN Women.
- Overcoming Conflict and Promoting Peace: In countries emerging from conflict, having the opportunity to re-found the foundations of society and the legal framework can lead to greater promotion of gender equality.
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- As seen in Rwanda, Women’s participation in transition processes is key to their political empowerment.
- Enhanced Problem-Solving: Women tend to approach problems with a more holistic and inclusive perspective and deal more efficiently.
- E.g. Germany, New Zealand, and Taiwan were more successful in containing the Covid-19 pandemic.
Challenges in Women’s Representation in National and State Legislatures:
- Inaccessibility of Institutions: Political parties, though pledging in their constitutions to provide adequate representation to women, in practice give far too few party tickets to women candidates.
- Analysis has shown that 41 per cent of all women candidates in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections were ‘dynasts’ i.e. their families have political backgrounds.
- Dual burden: Election campaigns in India are extremely demanding and time-consuming.
- Women politicians, with family commitments and the responsibilities of child care, often find it difficult to fully participate.
- Deep-seated societal norms and stereotypes: Fuel discrimination and the belief that men make better political leaders, casting shadows on women’s perceived capabilities.
- Economic Inequalities: Women face disproportionate challenges in political campaigns financially.
- Lack of access to finance and gendered donation patterns present formidable hurdles limiting women’s entry into political races.
- Illiteracy: Illiteracy limits the entry of women into politics as they fail to understand the political system and issues due to a lack of knowledge.
- Women’s literacy rate is 77% while male literacy rate stands at 84.7% in India.
Enhancing Women’s representation in politics:
- Electoral Reforms: Implementing gender parity electoral laws, as seen in Mexico, can significantly increase the number of women in political leadership positions.
- The Women Reservation Act in 2023 marks a significant milestone in the journey towards empowering women to participate more actively in the political process.
- Addressing Violence and Harassment: Creating a safe and respectful environment for women in politics is crucial.
- VAWP (Violence against women in politics) needs to be addressed. UN Women is giving a “Big Push” against VAWP.
- Party Support: Political parties can play a crucial role in promoting women’s participation by providing support and resources to women candidates.
- Enhances a party’s programme and policy agenda changes the perceptions of society and political stakeholders.
- Developing rules guaranteeing representation: Guaranteeing a minimum representation of women in party decision-making bodies.
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- Germany’s Green Party: It has instituted a “dual presidency”, with a man and woman co-chairing the party.
- Parties from Hungary and the Czech Republic to Norway and Iceland have adopted voluntary quotas.
Way forward:
For India, the Women’s Reservation Bill is neither the beginning nor the end of the road to gender parity in politics — it is one milestone among many more to come. The need is for concerted efforts to dismantle existing barriers and create a more inclusive and supportive environment for women’s political participation.