18 Women in Political Governance

Sarala Gopalan

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HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS

 

Universally, males have dominated society as Patriarchal culture has been the dominant factor. ‘Property’ and ‘power’ has been with men, and women, generally have been unequal partners. Patriarchy is succession to property through the male lineage. Control of the family is with the male, and he exercises power. This has been contested by women and they have fought for an equal status in all matters for several centuries.

 

Women participated in the Industrial Revolution which has established the current advanced economies in Europe, and in the World Wars of the 19th Century, and legitimately sought for equality in wages for their work and share in the governance of the polity by seeking the right to vote in establishing Governments through election of leaders. These Important historical events helped in the establishment of many standards favourable to women, though they still lag behind in equal wages, and equality in getting high positions in Governance across the globe. The struggle of women to get the ‘right to vote’ spread over 18th to the 20th century. Women got the right to vote in Britain in 1931, only after the First World War (1914-1919). In 1920, the League of Nations was established to end Wars between Nations. This was followed by the Establishment of the United Nation’s Organization in 1946, which brought out the UN Charter that prescribed a Code of Conduct for all the Member States, including human rights.

 

Women in Kuwait got the Right to Vote only recently.

 

SITUATION IN INDIA

 

India boasts of knowledge and rich traditions of equality for all groups of people and non-discrimination in ancient times. However this got misinterpreted in the middle-ages in the belief that women had to be in the care of men at all ages of their lives. While the objective was to protect women, it often led to harassment. There was also the practice of ‘Sati’, where the wife had to jump into the funeral pyre of the husband, and was venerated after death. Even as late as 1988 there was a case in Rajasthan where a young bride committed ‘Sati’, which provoked a lot  of anger in the society and agitated the Women’s Movement. Finally ‘Sati’ was abolished in 1989. Women were largely confined to the private sphere of the home as care-givers. Lack of entitlement to property, deprived her even of a status in the family. She was subject to various kinds of harassments in the home. Patriarchal culture, deprivation of right to property, lack of access to education etc. confined them to a lower status compared to their male counterparts. Series of foreign invasions, and the spread of Islamic culture in parts of the country, further suppressed them to an inferior position.

 

With the advent of the English through the East India Company in the 16th Century, followed by the British Rule, most of the British practices with regard to legislation and administration also penetrated India. Some of the positive influences of the developments in Britain relating to women also influenced India in the early 20th century.

 

DEVELOPMENTS IN INDIA

 

Social Reformists had been working hard for improving the Status of women. The worked on Legislation to abolish child marriage, give access to education for girls. It was Raja Ram Mohan Roy who fought for abolition of ‘Sati’ in the 19th century. The Women’s Movement took shape in India with the guidance of the Reformists, and the Struggle for Independence in India. Mahatma Gandhi, beckoned women to come out from the confines of the home and join the Freedom Struggle, in the 20th Century. Several Legislations followed to confer entitlements to women, by giving them a right to share in the property with the enactment of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. The practice of ‘Streedhan’, where a woman got jewellery, cash, etc on her wedding, then took the shape of ‘dowry’. Unfortunately, these entitlements of women also turned into harassment for them in several cases from greedy in-laws and husbands. The Dowry Prohibition Act was passed in 1961 and further amended in 1986.

 

With social change creeping through reforms and enlightenment, women leaders emerged and fought for entitlements of women in the society. It is significant to mention, the efforts made by Dr. Sarojini Naidu before the British Government, as early as 1917, to get women a right to vote, as they were fighting for social change and participating in the Freedom Struggle alongside with men. They conceded right to vote in a limited manner, based on ‘wifehood’, property and education. In 1931, the Karachi session of the Indian National Congress took the historic decision for Political equality, which resulted in the 1935 Act of the Government of India Act, 1935 agreed to confer voting rights to women with education and property, dropping the condition of marriage. India achieved Independence in 1947, from the British Government.

 

In 1950, when the new Constitution was promulgated in the Republic of India, Universal Adult Franchise was proclaimed along with Equality, Liberty and Justice to all. Equal Rights conferred by the Constitution was a significant historical step. This was heralded as a very progressive step for social change in India.

 

Voting in Elections, to elect people’s representatives in the Legislatures, is an important measure for participation in decision making in the nation and is a prerogative of every citizen. This is how citizens participate in the governance of the Nation. Legislatures at the level of the Union Government of India, and at the State levels formulate laws to govern the people, make Policies for governance and sanction budgets for expenditure for implementation of policies and programmes of the Government. This is the core of Democracy and Government by the people,-men, women and all social groups without any distinction..

 

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNANCE AND DECISION MAKING IN INDIA

 

Despite universal ‘Adult Franchise’ women were not participating in electing their leaders in the General Elections that were periodically held. Amongst women voters, less than 50% of women only voted whereas higher proportions of men voted. This meant that women’s voices got drowned. There was a big gap between the proportion of women voting compared to men. In recent years, with a lot of efforts from the political parties and communities and the Election Commission more women are coming out to vote. Now gap between the proportion of men and women voters is less than 8%. It is significant to point out, that Mr. M.G.Ramachandran, understanding the significance of women’s votes in election cajoled women to come and vote and promised them a great deal of welfare measures. It won him Chief Minister-ship of Tamil Nadu for multiple terms till his death. This is a well understood strategy now to woo women voters to win Constituencies.

 

Right to vote is only the first step in participation in governance. It is important for women members to participate effectively in decision making bodies, right from the Grass-roots level to the National level. Opportunities for women to get elected to these decision making bodies were limited owing to the prevailing social environment, where they were not considered equal to men. In the first General Election to the Lok Sabha , one of the Houses of the Parliament to which people elect Members of Parliament in General Elections, women Members of Parliament (MPs) were only 4%. Women’s representation has been increasing at a very low pace, as men are vary of yielding space to women, and sometimes women are reluctant to come forward to contest, in sufficient numbers. Political Parties have to put up large number of women candidates at elections in order to give more representation to women. However, it has been seen that only if the political party is sure that a woman candidate has an edge over the male competitor, it gives the seat to her. Political Parties want to ensure that they win maximum number of seats for their party at the election. Sometimes they give a doubtful seat where they are not sure to win, and the woman loses. When the number of women candidates contesting Elections is itself low, large number of women winning in the election to the Parliament becomes impossible. This explains the feeble voice of women in the Parliament, which has only reached 11% during the 16th Lok Sabha Elections in 2014. It is pertinent to point out that women occupy more than 40% membership in the Parliaments of the Scandinavian Countries, and some African Countries like Uganda. Even Bangladesh (30%) and Pakistan (20) have higher proportions of women in their Legislature.

 

The other House of the Parliament is the Rajya Sabha, to which the States elect members.

 

Representation of women is low here also, around 10 to 11%.

 

It is important to have a substantial number of women representatives, known as a ‘critical mass’ in the Parliament to enable a lot of decisions that would create a conducive environment for women, giving priority to their needs. The United Nations suggested that there should be at least one third representation for women to create a sufficient force that can prevail on decisions, according to universal experience. Since in India we were far short of this, right from 1995 the women’s groups have been asking for affirmative action and reservation of a quota of 33% for women. This needs a Constitutional Amendment and the Bill has been placed several times before the Lok Sabha, but defeated. In order the Bill does not lapse and can be passed at any time, the latest Bill on the subject of reservation for women has been initiated by the Rajya Sabha.

 

The representation for women in the State Legislatures is even lower, at 6% only. If the Reservation for women Bill is passed by the Parliament it will also help getting more members to the State Legislatures.

 

REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN LOCAL BODIES

 

India made a major effort to bring women in the local bodies, namely, Panchayats and Municipalities and Corporations. The Constitution was amended in 1993 to give 33% representation for women members, and also Chairmanship to women in one third of the local bodies. It has since been raised to 50%. It was also made mandatory that one third of the chairpersons of Panchayats, Municipalities and Corporation should be women and this should be reserved for them. The elected women Chairpersons have performed extremely well in a good number of Panchayats and Municipalities, fulfilling many needs of infrastructure for women like roads, water supply, better school buildings, lighting and so on. These women were able to look at women’s needs according to their priorities rather than as “works for contract” as was the practice. This brought a big change in the quality of life for women in many parts of the country, where women thought innovatively and saw things through a gender lense. These women wanted training to perform better and understand governance in all its dimensions. Women have felt a great deal of obstacles in performing their tasks efficiently and have been subjected to harassment in carrying forward their work. However there are also cases were the authority is exercised by the husband/son/or brother for the elected woman chairman where she is socially less equipped in terms of education, backwardness etc. Despite this shortcoming over a million women have now come into decision-making bodies and their imprint is being felt.

 

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN CORPORATE LEVELS

 

There has been a great urge for increasing women’s participation in Corporate Governance, like Banks, Companies, Cooperatives etc. With effort over a couple of decades, India has been able to place women chairpersons as heads of Nationalized Banks, get them on the Governing Bodies and Boards of companies. The objective is to bring women’s perspectives in various factors of governance to create a proper economic and social environment for women. In matters like working hours, child care, and various other needs of women workers, women can understand best and create the necessary processes and facilities.

 

As everywhere, this calls for a change of mindset of men and women. Women have to accept their responsibilities and capacities and men have to recognize this.

 

CAPACITY BUILDING AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING

 

Women need a great deal of capacity building to become leaders in the Community and Society. Hitherto they have been in subordinate positions, taking orders from a superior. When they go up in the ladder and become the ‘Superior’ or ‘leader’, they have to know how to command, and how to lead. Good leadership training becomes very essential. It is also necessary for them to understand what leadership means, and their own capabilities to become a leader. Only those who have the innate abilities to lead will become leaders and be successful. Women at different levels in an hierarchy have to be inspired to climb up to the next higher level, before they go to the very top. They have to prove themselves at every level. Example, a teacher in a school can become headmistress in the school; A Lecturer can become the Dean or Principal in the college. Women who want to adorn higher positions have to prove their capacity to attain these higher positions. They need to show their leadership qualities. Some of it may already be an innate quality, and some part comes by training and encouragement and recognition. Since women have been in lower positions, it is necessary now to strategize, to elevate them to higher positions, by recognizing and building their capacities. This is required in all fields of activity, from the grassroots level to the Parliament level.

 

As I am aware, a great deal of effort has been made to train women to play leadership roles in all positions including in their family, as also in various positions of work, in offices, institutions, elected bodies and so on. Appropriate training is required for different responsibilities. In this effort to help women assume decision making positions successfully, several training programmes, workshops, seminars have been organized. However what has been done, is yet a small effort, and needs to be expanded many many more times.

 

CONCLUSION

 

We have achieved some measure of equality with men and recognition constitutionally and legally on several matters. But culturally we are still not able to give the space for women right from the family level to the national level. We have hurdles to cross. Only then we can realize the goal of equality and utilizing the full human resources that we have in letter and spirit. Else the abundant human resource available in the women will be lost to the nation!

 

SUMMARY

 

To summarize the discussion on Women sharing equal responsibility for governance at all levels and assuming leadership positions in the Community, it is necessary for both men and women to change their mindsets about the role of women in the community and the society. Women should be prepared to come out of their homes into public spaces, and men have to acknowledge these roles for women. In India, Social Reformers and the Women’s Movement have played a big part in bringing women into public spaces and preparing them for assuming leadership roles. Women in India fought for the freedom of the country along with men, and for their right to vote, as women in the rest of the world. They have now scaled many heights:- got the right to vote, become candidates for election, and achieved 11% membership in the Lok Sabha, and still aspire to reach 33% in the Lok Sabha (Parliament), they have risen to 50% membership in local bodies, reached leadership positions in Corporate bodies including Banks. Decisions of women and their viewpoints are essential for equity, and to fulfill their needs. It is essential to build their capacity to assume these decision making and leadership positions. Good leadership training, to go to higher positions is critical, More intensive action is necessary by the community and Government to help women assume these decision making positions successfully at every level from the grassroots to the Parliament level. Capable women add to the quality of the human resource in a nation, and that should not be lost. Women and men have to rise up to garner this resource for the benefit of the society and nation, apart from recognizing women as dignified citizens of the country.

 

Questions

  1. What is Patriarchy?
  2. When did women get the right to vote in Britain?
  3. When did women get right to vote in India for the first time?
  4. When was the Constitution of India promulgated?
  5. What does a right to vote confer on the person voting?
  6. Which are the two Houses of the Parliament of India?
  7. What was the proportion of women members in the Lok Sabha after the first General Election in India?
  8. What is the proportion of women in the 16th Lok Sabha?
  9. What is the proportion of women in the Parliaments of Scandinavian Countires?
  10. What is the proportion of seats women are seeking by reservation in the Lok Sabha?
  11. What is the proportion of women representation in State Legislatures?
  12. What is the significance of the Constitution Amendment of 1993 for women?
  13. Why is their need for Women to be represented in leadership positions in the Corporations and Banks?
  14. What is ‘capacity building’?
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References:

 

World Health Organization and Voluntary Health Association of India – Country Profile –India.

National Profile on Women, Health and Development. Edited by Gopalan Sarala, Dr. and Shiva Mira, Dr.

  1. Government of India- National Commission for Women, 2002. Towards Equality – The Unfinished Agenda- Status of Women in India- 2001, Gopalan Sarala, Dr.
  2. The Constitution of India, The Universal Law Publishing Co.Pvt.Ltd.2007- Bakshi P.M