INTRODUCTION
India, being the world’s largest democracy, envisions democratic participation as the cornerstone of India’s political system. Democratic decentralization or the grassroot level democracy is deeply embedded in ancient Indian philosophy and traditions.
The 73rd constitutional amendment in India, introduced in 1992 has elevated the concept of inclusive growth through democratic decentralization to a remarkable height.
Throughout Indian history, women have been at the forefront of political participation. Women’s representation in the first Lok Sabha was 5% which was increased to 15% during 2023 Lok Sabha. The Women representation percentage for 2023 Rajya Sabha was 13%. Additionally, Panchayati Raj institutions in India also ensure one-third reservation for female candidates out of the total number of seats. Currently, 20 Indian states have made provision for 50% women’s reservation in state PRIs. The highest proportion of female ministers is estimated to be in Tamil Nadu, that is, 13%. Women’s participation in decision making is crucial, not just in accelerating democratic functioning but also in fighting against women’s marginalization and oppression that they endure due to some erroneous societal norms. However, increasing politicization and criminalization of the political system in India continues to be a hurdle for achieving significant women’s participation in politics, even to this day.
CHALLENGES
Statistics reveal that even after legally mandated reservations for women in the political decision-making process, women’s participation lacks qualitative aspects. The metaphor “broken rungs” can, to some extent, be tied to the context of women’s role in the political landscape. This underlines the varied limitations that curtail women’s ascent from entry-level positions to prospective higher roles. A primary factor contributing to this gender disparity is low educational level among women as compared to their male counterparts. This lack of awareness causes female candidates to serve as mere “proxy candidates”, while the real power rests in the hands of male family members.
The patriarchal notion of society either directly or indirectly affects women’s participation and their willpower to take up roles in decision making. Women are burdened with family responsibilities and from a very young age they are institutionalized in care-givers roles through societal norms, leading to a generic perception of them being incompetent in the role of decision-makers. The “double burden” for women to balance professional life with their domestic expectations, seems to pigeonhole women into already carved out set roles by the society, which subsequently leads to delay in their growth in the professional setting. Therefore, there emerges a serious need for capacity building and implementing policies that eliminate systemic issues that restricts professional advancement of women.
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
The key purpose behind a more inclusive strategy for women's participation in grassroot politics is to assimilate women's perceptions across varying facets- from idea conception, planning to connecting stakeholders and final implementation of the policies. This approach seeks to amplify the effects of community-level initiatives by orienting legislation around the varied concerns of women.
The foremost aspect to be catered to, is mapping out practical sources that would assure effective advancement of Quality of Participation of Rural Women within the Political Landscape. Within Indian Society, socio-cultural conventions immensely influence daily lives, thus, establishing interpersonal relationships with women-folk in rural areas, assumes importance. Establishing linkages between India's grassroots communities and the highest levels of bureaucracy, would prove effective in binding the gap between the government’s administrative machinery and the vast populace that it aims to serve.
Fostering Self-Belief: For there to be notable female political participation, women's confidence ought to be boosted. Women hailing from Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC) face additional obstacles in securing a dignified place within the political arena. For this reason, it is imperative to initiate a considerable shift in attitudes via specialized training and sensitization programmes for female candidates from all socio-economic classes. Moreover, enforcement of stringent penalties for those who promote communal strife within the community could be an effective approach for fostering a sense of solidarity across the democratic process.
Bolivia’s Law against Harassment and Violence against Women in Politics, similarly, in Indian context, a law of this kind would safeguard women's rights to participate freely and safely in political processes, assuring that they execute their responsibilities without fear of violence or harassment.
Quest for Autonomy: It is essential to provide rural women the resources they require to break the persistent nature of dependence on their male counterparts. Thus, defining a new direction entails advocating for education and spearheading initiatives that prioritise self-determination, gender equality, and a pathway to dignified existence. Tackling this rooted dependence requires assistance within the childcare and domestic sphere, typically viewed as women's domains and frequently impede their active participation in politics. By addressing such factors, women would be enabled to assume leadership roles, ensuring a major step towards acquiring gender parity. Gender report cards, indicating women's participation in politics, could be introduced by the Election Commission. This would encourage political parties/institutions to undertake the necessary alterations in the concerned direction of gender equality.
"She Should Run”-within the US context, comes as an icon of digital inclusivity and empowerment, stimulating women's representation in the political arena. An initiative along similar lines could also be taken up within India, employing the vast digital landscape to establish rapport with both rural and urban women aspiring to enter the political arena.
Decision-Making Acumen through “Role Model” Effect: It's essential that women in politics develop a cohesive structure in order to address the existing gender disparity. In conjunction, they would be able to utilize their power autonomously and interact with their constituents directly. All three tiers of governance's female representatives must set up a platform for interchange of concepts and initiatives. Such a coordinated effort is essential for bringing about the cultural change that is required to redefine roles that women serve in political leadership. Such discussions would serve as an avenue for dialogue between female MLAs/MPs and female Panchayat office holders. This would result in an earnest attempt to address the concerns raised by the regional Panchayati Raj Institutions while offering inspiration to other aspirational women in the grassroot communities.
CONCLUSION
Women’s participation plays an indispensable role in committing to the objective of inclusive growth conceptualized under the concept of grassroot democracy. The Indian Constitution envisions a society with equal status and representation for both men and women.
With various government policies and the 73rd constitutional amendment, political participation among women has shown a gradual, yet considerable increase in their representation. The 1992 amendment proved to be an impetus, which brought about 14.5 lakh women under the realm of leadership roles in local governance. As of 2022, the average percentage of women participating in state legislatures was estimated to be around 9%, with some states including West Bengal and Kerala, experiencing an increase to around 14%, facilitated through the inception of Self-Help groups and community building development initiatives.
However, increased participation has corresponded with increased obstacles and crimes against women, highlighting women's underrepresentation in decision-making roles. There still exists gender disparity in political participation which can only be dealt with equal and active participation from all the concerned stakeholders.
Authored by: Bhumika Kanojia and Ishita Yadav
REFERENCES
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