WOMEN RESERVATION BILL – POLITY
News:
The women’s reservation Bill cannot wait any longer
What's in the news?
● A
political party recently called for the long-delayed Women's Reservation Bill
to be introduced in Parliament.
● The
Rajya Sabha passed the Women's Reservation Bill on 9 March 2010. However, the
Lok Sabha never voted on the bill. The bill lapsed.
Status of Women Representation in Politics in India:
● At present, only about
14.4% of the members of the Indian Parliament are women, the highest so far.
● The
scenario for women Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) across all state
Assemblies with the national average being a pitiable 9%.
What is the Women Representation Bill?
● The
Women’s Reservation Bill proposes to reserve
33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women.
● Reserved
seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in the state or
union territory.
● Reservation
of seats for women shall cease to exist 15 years after the commencement of this
Amendment Act.
Need of the Bill:
● According
to Global Gender Gap Report 2022, India
ranks 48th out of 146 in Political
Empowerment (Percentage of Women in Parliament and in Ministerial Positions)
dimension.
● Women’s
right to self-representation and
self-determination.
● The
various surveys do indicate that women representatives from Panchayati Raj have
worked commendable in the development and overall well-being of society in
villages and many of them would definitely want to work on the larger scale,
however, they face various challenges in the political structure prevalent in
India.
Arguments in Favor of the Bill:
● Proponents
of the Bill argue that affirmative
action is imperative to better the condition of women since political
parties are inherently patriarchal.
● Despite
the hopes of the leaders of the national movement, women are still under-represented in the Parliament.
● Reservations,
proponents believe, will ensure that women form a strong lobby in Parliament to
fight for issues that are often ignored.
● There
is now evidence that women as panchayat leaders have –
○ Shattered
social myths
○ Been
more accessible than men
○ Controlled
the stranglehold of liquor
○ Invested
substantially in public goods such as drinking water
○ Helped
other women express themselves better
○ Reduced
corruption
○ Prioritized
nutrition outcomes and
○ Changed
the development agenda at the grassroots level.
Arguments Against the Bill:
● Opponents
of reservation for women argue that the idea runs counter to the principle of equality enshrined in the Constitution.
Women will not be competing on merit if there is reservation, which could lower
their status in society.
● Women
are unlike, say, a caste group, which means that they are not a homogenous community. Therefore, the same arguments made for
caste-based reservation cannot be made for women.
● Women’s
interests cannot be isolated from other social, economic and political strata.
● Reservation
of seats in Parliament would restrict
the choice of voters to women candidates. This has led to suggestions of
alternate methods including reservation for women in political parties and dual
member constituencies (where constituencies will have two MPs, one of them
being a woman).
● As
men hold primary power as well as key positions in politics, some have even
argued that bringing women into politics could destroy the “ideal family”.
Global Examples:
● The
Scandinavian countries have
implemented policies and governance structures that support gender equality and
women’s empowerment including women’s representation in political and
leadership positions.
● Countries
led by women have shown to have some of the best policies and governance
practices. Example: New Zealand.
● The
deep scars in Rwanda (a central
African nation) from the genocide, are being healed by predominantly a
leadership that comprises women. It has resulted in key social reforms.
● Norway
implemented a quota system in 2003 that required 40% of seats on corporate
boards to be occupied by women.
WAY FORWARD:
● It
is time to acknowledge the systematic
exclusion of women from politics and demand action to create a more equitable
political landscape.
● Dr.B.R.Ambedkar
says that the progress of a community can be measured by the degree of progress
which women have achieved.
● Women’s
leadership qualities are not hidden from anyone, so the denial of opportunity
for political representation represents grave injustice.
● As
India is still struggling 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.
● As
India strives to become a Vishwa Guru,
we must not overlook the pivotal role women can play in nation building and
development.