Close gender gap in politics

THE BJP-led Union government has repeatedly let go of the opportunity to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill — which would guarantee that at least 33 per cent of the lawmakers are women — in the past almost nine years despite having overwhelming majority. The main Opposition party, Congress, had similarly announced that should it come to power it will pass the Bill immediately. So far, neither of the parties has actively demonstrated the sincerity of their intent by actually giving more tickets to women candidates to contest in various elections.

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Legislatures play a vital role in raising debates and discussions on various aspects of governance and in exacting accountability from the government. Women’s representation in Parliament is a key indicator of the extent of gender equality in parliamentary politics. The present Lok Sabha has only 14 per cent women MPs; in the Rajya Sabha, there are just 11 per cent of them.

Various arguments are offered regarding ‘practical difficulties’ faced by the parties in fielding women candidates. These include: women candidates are likely to campaign for lesser hours; avoid campaigning in certain places; will not work at night; less people are willing to back women candidates financially; influential women are likely to get the ticket; lack of sufficient female candidates in the party, and other excuses.

Some women too have ideological and psychological reservations regarding their entering politics, like the prevailing gender bias which predetermines gender/social roles assigned to men and women, women’s lack of confidence to stand for elections and women’s perception of politics as a ‘dirty’ game.

Research indicates that whether a legislator is a male or female, it has a distinct impact on their policy priorities. Women’s participation in politics would help advance gender equality and affect both the range of policy issues that get considered and the types of solutions that are proposed. It would facilitate their direct engagement in public decision-making which would ensure better accountability.

Research also shows that women policymakers give priority to issues that matter more to women such as gender safety, healthcare, education, elderly care, children’s welfare and environment. It is also well acknowledged that these and some other issues are more important to women and affect them more, and women are more likely to focus on them than men. Moreover, with the continuous increase in gender-based violence against women such as rape and other forms of physical abuse, a greater representation of women in Parliament may well have a controlling impact. Importantly, on many such issues women are also seen to work across party lines.

When men monopolise the political process, the decision-making process does not always balance the interests of the male and female populations. States where women hold more political power are less likely to commit human rights abuses.

A lesser-known fact about female politicians is that, at the global level, they are generally less corrupt. Studies have found a statistically significant correlation between a higher proportion of women in the government and a lower level of corruption at both national and local levels. Political parties should not only reserve 33 per cent of their party tickets for women in parliamentary and state legislatures, but also reserve at least 33 per cent of their organisational positions for them. Reforms at the party level will complement the Bill.

More than half of the countries today have introduced some form of electoral apportionment for women. India has lagged behind. The solemn vow in our Constitution to secure political justice and equality of opportunity for all remains only partially fulfilled as women’s position in electoral politics and governance stays far below representative levels. Governance should not be a fiefdom of men, with just a few women managing to get past a rigid glass ceiling to enter Parliament.

Any democratic system benefits from having people from diverse backgrounds and life experiences represented in its political institutions. It enables us to draw on the full array of capacity and skills in the population in shaping policies for the advancement of all.

So, to conclude, why does women’s reservation in politics matter? First and foremost, it is a matter of equity and human rights — both of which are cornerstones of a democratic society. Second, broad representation of women in Parliament would have an enormous impact on what issues are raised and how policies are shaped. Third, it would create room to reform and revise discriminatory laws against females. The Women’s Reservation Bill must not be allowed to languish. It must be made a reality.