Women can play pivotal role in nation building and development

(MainsGS2:Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.)

Context:

Even though women have been breaking the glass ceiling of patriarchy in every sector, politics is the arena where women find it the most challenging to find space.

Significant barriers:

India may have achieved suffrage early, but women still face significant barriers to political participation and do not have the right to govern.
It is disheartening to witness that even 75 years after Independence, Parliament lacks substantial representation from half the population, with women holding just 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.

Far from ideal:

Women played a crucial role in India’s fight for independence, by organising demonstrations, leading rallies, and raising awareness.
There were numerous female 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 spotlight for being led by women Chief Ministers.
Despite the presence of influential women in Indian politics, we have regressed since the 1980s and patriarchal backlash has resulted in the status of women in India being far from ideal.
Hence it will not be wrong to infer that the issue of political representation of women is a greater case, as opposed to having token representation.

Discourse on women’s reservation:

The discourse on women’s reservation in India originates from the pre-Independence era when several women’s organisations demanded political representation for women.
It can be traced back to 1955 when a government appointed committee recommended that 10% of seats in the Lok Sabha and State legislative assemblies should be reserved for women.
However, it was not until the 1980s that the demand for women’s reservations 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 the Empowerment of Women, which was adopted in 2001.

Much bigger fight:

In 1993, the Panchayati Raj Act was amended to reserve 33% of all seats in local government bodies for women, which was a significant step towards women’s political empowerment.
The success of this reservation led to demands for similar reservations in other elected bodies; in 1996, the Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha. The Bill proposed to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and State legislative Assemblies for women.
However, facing strong opposition from some political parties it lapsed but gained more momentum again in the early 2000s and on March 9, 2010, the Bill was approved in the Rajya Sabha.

Degree of progress:

Babasaheb Ambedkar was of the opinion that the progress of a community can be measured by the degree of progress which women have achieved, but we are still far away from that benchmark.
Equality cannot wait any longer and the time for change is now. Women have been waiting for too long for their right to govern — not just for themselves but for the greater common good.
Women’s leadership qualities are not hidden from anyone, so the denial of opportunity for political representation represents grave injustice.
A nation that still struggles to provide basic health care and education, necessary for the dignified life of citizens, must now let women take charge of the task of transforming India.

Conclusion:

As India strives to become a Vishwa Guru, we must not overlook the pivotal role women can play in nation building and development.