Rise of Women in Indian Politics: Challenges, and Progress | UPSC

Introduction 

• Around the world, the push for women’s political empowerment is gaining traction, marked by milestones such as Kamala Harris’s role as the U.S. Democratic vice-presidential nominee. 
• Her candidacy highlighted American democracy’s inclusive aspirations. India, too, recently marked a significant milestone with the passing of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Bill, underlining the importance of women’s roles in political leadership. Today, Indian women are moving beyond token roles, becoming active influencers in electoral outcomes. 
• Policies like Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Jan Dhan Yojana have played a substantial role in empowering the Rise of Women in Indian Politics to become decision-makers and changemakers in their communities. 

Status of Rise of Women in Indian Politics

Women in Parliament:

• Early Representation: In 1952, women held a mere 4.41% of seats in the Lok Sabha. This increased to over 6% by the early 1960s.
• Fluctuations and Steady Growth: Representation dipped to below 4% in 1971, despite Indira Gandhi, the first and only female Prime Minister of India, Rise of Women in Indian Politics being office. Over time, however, representation slowly rose, crossing 10% in 2009 and reaching 14.36% in 2019.
• 2024 Milestone: In the 2024 elections, 74 women secured seats in the Lok Sabha, of whom 43 are first-time MPs. These women MPs have an average age of 50 years, compared to the overall house average of 56, with 78% having completed at least undergraduate education, showing that they are well-qualified for legislative roles.

Number of Women Candidates in the Lok Sabha Elections (1957-2019): 

Representation in State Legislative Assemblies: 

• Women’s representation in state legislatures remains significantly lower. 
• Chhattisgarh leads with 14.4% female representation, followed by West Bengal (13.7%) and Jharkhand (12.4%), indicating a need for broader, state-level initiatives to encourage women’s participation.

Global Comparisons: 

• India’s ranking in women’s representation is relatively low compared to other countries. 
• The Inter-Parliamentary Union’s 2021 report noted a global average of 26.1% women in parliaments, with India ranking below 140 other nations.
•  Despite recent improvements, India lags behind countries like Nepal and Pakistan in terms of female representation in legislatures.

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Why Political Empowerment of Women is Essential for India

• Accountability and Gender-sensitive Governance: Women’s presence in legislative roles often translates to better accountability and gender-sensitive governance. Female leaders are likely to advocate policies that address women’s specific needs and ensure effective implementation.
• Challenging Patriarchal Politics: Indian politics has traditionally been male-dominated. An increase in female representation can help dismantle this patriarchy, opening doors for more gender-equal leadership.
• Focus on Gender-related Issues: Research by UN Women shows that higher female representation often leads to more focus on gender issues, resulting in policies and actions that directly benefit women and girls in areas like health, education, and security.
• Promoting Gender Equality: Female participation in politics is fundamental for achieving gender equality, allowing issues that disproportionately impact women to be recognized and addressed at the highest levels.
• Breaking Stereotypes: When more women take on leadership roles, they help change societal perceptions, shifting views of women from traditional roles to active and influential political participants.
• Economic and Infrastructure Benefits: Studies by the United Nations University indicate that women legislators positively impact economic outcomes. Constituencies led by female representatives tend to have better infrastructure project completion rates and improved economic performance.

Challenges to Women’s Political Representation in India

Gender Gaps in Political Ambition:

• Gender conditioning often limits political ambition among women. For example, in India, despite the rise of prominent female leaders like Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, social expectations around gender roles continue to discourage women from actively pursuing political careers. Surveys show that women are less encouraged than men to aspire for public office.  

Patriarchal Societal Norms:

• Deep-rooted patriarchy creates barriers in the form of limited access to education, financial resources, and an unequal domestic burden. Research by the National Commission for Women highlights that even in states with progressive gender policies, such as Kerala, women face barriers due to societal expectations that men should lead, often limiting women’s political involvement to symbolic roles. 

High Cost of Election Campaigning:

• The financial demands of elections can be prohibitive for women, who generally have less access to funding and political networks, limiting their ability to compete with male candidates.
  • Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) Reports: The 2019 General Election analysis by ADR indicated that, on average, women candidates had lower declared assets and spent less on their campaigns, which is partly due to limited access to financial networks and resources within political parties.
  • UN Women and UNDP Report on Women’s Representation in Politics (2020): This report discusses the financial and structural barriers faced by the Rise of Women in Indian Politics. It highlights that women candidates in India often lack independent financial backing, and due to the high cost of campaigns, they depend on male-dominated political networks for resources. 

Male-dominated Gatekeeping:

• Many political parties favor male candidates over female ones, often perceiving male candidates as more “winnable.” For example, a 2020 report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) found that major Indian parties gave only around 8% of tickets to women candidates. This bias limits women’s chances of securing party tickets and advancing within political circles.

Criminalization and Corruption:

• Data from the ADR shows that 43% of sitting MPs in the 2019 Lok Sabha faced criminal charges, a statistic that deters many qualified women from entering politics due to concerns over personal safety and integrity. 

Measures Taken for Women’s Political Empowerment in India

Legislative Measures

• • • Nari Shakti Vandana Adhiniyam: This recent legislation mandates a 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, marking a significant step toward inclusive representation.
    • 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments: These amendments reserve 33% of seats for women in local government bodies, with states like Bihar increasing this to 50% to further promote grassroots leadership.
    • Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women: Established in 1997, this committee works to improve the socio-political standing of women and address issues that directly affect them.
    • Gender-neutral Rules in the Lok Sabha: In 2014, under Meira Kumar’s leadership, gender-neutral terminology was introduced in Lok Sabha rules, changing titles like ‘Chairman’ to ‘Chairperson’ to promote inclusivity.

Constitutional Provisions

• • • Article 14: This fundamental right ensures equality, setting the foundation for equal opportunities in politics.
    • Article 46: Mandates that the state safeguard vulnerable groups, including women, from social injustices and exploitation.
    • Article 243D: Reserves at least 33% of Panchayati Raj seats and leadership positions for women, bolstering grassroots representation.
    • Article 326: Enshrines adult suffrage, fostering inclusive political participation for all citizens.

International Commitments

• • Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, 1979): Affirms women’s right to public participation without discrimination.
  • Beijing Platform for Action (1995), Millennium Development Goals (2000), and Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030): These international frameworks advocate for equal political participation of women and the removal of barriers to ensure gender equality.

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Way Forward

• Electoral Reforms: Addressing electoral reforms, such as limiting the criminalization of politics and curbing the influence of black money, is essential for making women’s reservation effective.
• Promoting Intra-party Democracy: Encouraging intra-party democracy can help broaden the pool of potential female candidates, fostering a more inclusive political culture.
• Ensuring Equal Nominations in Upper Houses: Political parties should aim to nominate at least 33% women for the Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Councils, setting an example for balanced representation.
• Strengthening Self-Help Groups at the Grassroots: Encouraging self-help groups at the panchayat level can create a robust pipeline of women leaders ready to take on higher political roles.
• Supporting Women’s Organizations: Empowering women’s organizations can provide essential support for female political aspirants, helping to build a more progressive society with gender-equal opportunities.
• Engaging Women in Student Politics: Promoting political involvement among young women in universities will cultivate political ambition and skills early on.
• Commitment to the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration: India should reaffirm its commitment to the G20 declaration that emphasizes investment in women’s political empowerment, a step toward achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
• Gender Sensitization and Internships: Conducting gender sensitization workshops and providing political internships for women can foster a healthy culture of gender parity in the political sphere, preparing young women for political roles.