Women in Politics

PREFACE

Women politics is the least researched topics in our country.

It is as as women are Indian For a long time the social scientists did not throw a firm look at the political behaviour of women. It was partially owing to the backwardness of behavioural research in India. However, the more significant aspect accountable for the scarcity of women studies is the lack of due weight accorded to the women in the society. Even today women studies are very few in number and women politics as a field of research is still in its budding stage. The current study is an attempt to fill up this vacuum and throw light on the political behaviour of women.

Women comprise about 50 per cent of country’s population. However, they are the biggest debarred group roughly in all facets. The male is denying their rights and liberties. Due to the male domination of Indian society, their social, economic and political status has stayed behind comparatively stumpy. From the time immemorial, they have been classified in all activity of life and regarded as “second class citizen”.

In every field, men have steadily subjugated them. The subjugation of women by men is not confined only to developed countries; this is also present though to a lesser degree in most developing countries like India. The phase of growth of a country is enormously connected with the status of women in their country. The socio-economic status of a woman is liable to affect her political participation.

The present socio-economic status of Indian women is not favourable for the successful involvement in political affairs. Women are politically not dynamic and do not offer to involve herself in the public affairs. Political equality is meaningless without social and economic equality. Aside from these, women experiences from traditional attitudes, which made them to be aware of that they are unequal. A better social, economic and political condition of women is indispensable for political involvement. Those who have powers, material knowledge, making resources are in a position to involve in the decision process.

Unless women become the equal allies of development, the country cannot flourish. Comprehending the significance of women welfare, the founding fathers of Indian constitution have made special provisions in the constitution to guarantee women’s rights and gender equality. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992-93 opened a new chapter in the history of democratic decentralisation in India by transferring power to the people and giving a chance to womenfolk to utter their right to be heard in the decision making process. Reservation has also led to the recognition of the identity of women and their presence in the public life. This is a significant change from the earlier perception. It is also observed that there is an increase of women’s power at the grass root level. Women have started emphasizing themselves as a vital weapon for social change. In future the Implementation of women’s reservation bill that desires guaranteeing 33 per cent reservation in Parliament and State Legislatures will bring about a revolution in our country.

Actually, the constitutional provisions have not been materialised into reality. On the other hand it has been noticed that the elected women representatives are treated ‘as puppet’ in the local bodies. The majorities of them stay silent audience to the events of the Gram Panchayat meetings and seldom take part in the deliberations. They hardly say their own view relating to identifying beneficiaries, assigning contracts, locating developmental projects, budget preparation, planning etc. Just sitting and listening the meeting have been their style of involvement. The reasons that distressing the route of women empowerment and participation are identified as lack of awareness, experience, knowledge, skill, leadership quality, low level of education, lack of exposure, influence of family, caste, social outlook, patriarch etc. Illiteracy has become a major obstacle in the path of playing active role in the functioning of local bodies. The Indian male community until today considers that the profession of women is to “cook and serve; ruling the mass is not their work, it is men’s special licence.”