India reached a remarkable milestone for gender equality as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the introduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill during a special session in parliament. This progressive bill aims to reserve one-third of seats in the powerful lower house and state legislative assemblies for women, marking a significant leap towards enhancing women’s representation in politics.
Recognizing the significance of this moment, Prime Minister Modi expressed his pride in his speech while introducing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, or Women’s Reservation Bill. This particular bill had faced numerous challenges since its initial introduction in September 1996, with successive governments attempting but failing to pass it into law due to fierce opposition from conservative parties in certain regions. It’s worth noting that while they stated support for women’s empowerment, their concerns focused on prioritizing reservations for women from minority and backward classes.
After 27 years of perseverance, the Women’s Reservation Bill achieved near-unanimous approval in the lower house on Wednesday. Its journey now continues as it moves to the upper house, which will discuss and vote on it within the remaining two days of the special session. Subsequently, the bill will require approval from at least half of India’s 28 states.
The passage of this bill has received applause from various quarters, including Kanta Singh, a country representative from the international agency U.N. Women. She referred to it as “one of the most progressive and transformative pieces of legislation” that will ensure greater female representation in decision-making bodies.
Currently, women occupy only about 15% of seats in the lower house and 12% in the upper house, as per Reuters. This underrepresentation has contributed to India’s poor global ranking in gender parity in legislatures, with the country positioned at 141 out of 185 in the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Gender Gap Report. Furthermore, since India’s independence in 1947, the country has only witnessed one woman Prime Minister and two female Presidents, while just 15 women have served as Chief Ministers.
Despite these challenges, the number of women participating in elections has increased seven-fold since the 1950s. However, economist Shamika Ravi highlights that many women face hurdles when running as independent candidates, such as financial constraints and the lack of political party support. Consequently, the Women’s Reservation Bill, which sets a binding target for the number of women lawmakers by 2029, is expected to incentivize political parties to foster gender inclusivity and appoint more women to leadership positions.
This milestone aligns with a period where women in India have demonstrated increasing engagement as voters, representing nearly half of the country’s 950 million registered voters. Studies also suggest that women often vote differently from men, indicating a potential for transformative political outcomes. For instance, in a closely contested election in the northern state of Bihar in 2005, women played a significant role in electing candidates who advocated for change, while men largely voted for the status quo.
Supporters of the new legislation point to the success of reserved quotas for women at the local level since they were introduced in 1993. Reports indicate that women currently occupy approximately 44% of seats in local assemblies, showcasing India’s significant progress in empowering women at the grassroots level.
The passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill arrives months before the upcoming general elections scheduled for May 2024. As parties gear up for this crucial electoral event, the historic legislation sparked heated debates among opposition parties, centering around who deserves credit for the bill’s introduction. This contention, however, reflects the shared aspiration to promote women’s reservations and suggests that all political parties will actively strive to nominate women candidates when the elections commence.
In this pursuit of achieving true gender equality, India stands poised to embrace a momentous transformation in its political landscape. The Women’s Reservation Bill carries the potential to redefine gender dynamics in Indian politics, altering the course of history by elevating women’s voices and ensuring their active participation in decision-making processes.
Market Capital Research 