Representation of Women in the Lok Sabha

General Studies Paper-2

Context: A total of 74 women have won the recent Lok Sabha elections, a slight dip from 78 elected in 2019.

About the Women in the 18th Lok Sabha

• India has elected 74 women Members of Parliament (MPs) to the Lok Sabha in 2024, four fewer than in 2019, but 52 more than in India’s first elections in 1952.
• These 74 women constitute just 13.63% of the elected strength of the Lower House, which is much less than the 33% that will be reserved for women after the next delimitation exercise.

Comparison with Previous Years

• Over the years, the Lok Sabha’s gender composition has shown a general trend towards increasing women’s representation. However, progress has been slow and not linear.
• In 1952, women made up just 4.41% of the strength of the Lower House, and it increased to more than 6% in the election held a decade later, but again dipped to below 4% in 1971.
• Since then, there has been a slow, but steady rise in women’s representation (with a few exceptions), which crossed the 10% mark in 2009, and peaked in 2019 at 14.36%.
• After the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, that number rose to just 12.15%. There are no seats set aside for female or male candidates in the Indian parliament.

Global Comparison

• According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, women make up roughly 26% of lawmakers worldwide.
• One of the few nations with a majority of female legislators is New Zealand.
• For instance, 46% of MPs in South Africa, 35% in the UK, and 29% in the US, are women.

Reasons for low Participation of Women

• Low literacy: One of the biggest obstacles to empowering women politically is illiteracy. In general, female candidates are less educated and experienced than male candidates.
  • In India, women have a literacy rate of 65% compared to men’s 82%.
• Lack of political will: The fact that the bill reserving one-third of the seats for women was repeatedly defeated shows that the lawmakers lack political will.
  • All parties’ platforms still include the measure, but it has never been put into action.
• Masking of the identity: 206 women individually participated in the 2019 elections, but only one of them took home the victory.
  • It demonstrates the role that political parties and a person’s upbringing played in determining their political success. Her true identity is concealed by the party and family.
• Patriarchy: Despite having the majority, women do not actually experience their authority because male spouses or other family members often have a say in their decisions. The formation of Sarpanchpati in Panchayati is a clear example of this.
• Gender Disparities: Women still face obstacles in the form of gender biases and disparities in education, resource ownership, and attitudes.
• Lack of confidence and finance: They were the other main obstacles that kept women from pursuing careers in politics.
• Sexual division of labour: A system in which the ladies of the household either handle all domestic labour themselves or organise it through domestic assistants.
  • It implies that women devote far more time to caring for the home and children than do males.
• Slander and abuse: This is one of the primary barriers that prevent women from running in elections that they encounter during campaigning.
  • Lack of safety is the additional factor stated.

Significance of Women Participation

• Representation: Women lawmakers ensure that the interests and issues of women are represented in policy-making.
• Diversity: They bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the table, which can lead to more comprehensive and inclusive policies.
• Empowerment: Their presence in law-making bodies can empower other women and girls by providing them with role models.
• Equality: It is a matter of gender equality. Women make up half of the population and should therefore have an equal say in the laws that govern society.

Efforts to reduce the gap

• In India, the National Commission for Women has been actively working towards enhancing women’s participation in all spheres, including law-making.
  • They have organised consultations on the rights of women under property law and conducted impact assessments of the 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992) in the Indian Constitution, which pertain to the role of women representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has conducted an analytical study on the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and its implementation in India.
  • It is expected to be of great value to lawmakers, policymakers, executives, civil society, academicians, and students of gender studies, human rights, and related disciplines.
• Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (2023): This recent amendment, also known as the Women’s Reservation Bill, proposes to reserve one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) and state legislative assemblies. While pending presidential assent, it marks a significant step towards greater female representation in national politics.

• National Policy for Women Empowerment: The goal of this Policy is to bring about the advancement, development, and empowerment of women.
  • The Policy aimed to be widely disseminated so as to encourage active participation of all stakeholders for achieving its goals.

Conclusion

• The representation of women in the Lok Sabha is a reflection of the broader societal attitudes towards gender equality.
• While there has been a gradual increase in the number of women MPs over the years, there is still a long way to go to achieve gender parity in the Indian Parliament.
• The upcoming delimitation exercise, which will reserve 33% of seats for women, is a step in the right direction.
  • However, it is essential to continue the discourse on this issue and work towards creating an inclusive and representative political system.