We must involve women in politics and policymaking

Ensuring increased political representation of women can improve equity and take us closer to an inclusive polity

Afew weeks ago, I visited Lakhimpur Kheri, one of the largest districts in Uttar Pradesh. I met Lakshmi Devi, the Gram Pradhan, at the Mukhlishpur panchayat, overlooking the proceedings of the Village Health Nutrition Day (VHND).

VHND is an initiative under the National Health Mission, organised once a month in every panchayat, and provides basic maternal, child health and nutrition services. The initiatives are sparsely attended.when Lakshmi Devi found this out, she went from door to door encouraging women to come for check-ups. Many have benefited from this.

The 73rd and 74th amendments to the Indian Constitution provide the legal basis for direct democracy at the local level in rural and urban areas, stressing on the need to bring marginalised populations into the electoral process by reserving seats for women and disadvantaged groups. It was envisaged that this mandate would reflect the voices of women. Ground realities, however, remain different. Most elected women gram pradhans are being represented by male members of their families, establishing that while policies may exist in principle, there is a need to translate them into action on the field. Deeply entrenched sociocultural norms, class and caste restrictions have fed into the existing patriarchal practices, relegating women to the domestic spaces.

A study, titled ‘Women’s leadership and policy decisions: evidence from a nationwide randomised experiment in India (2001)’, has concluded that a policymakers’ gender does influence policy decisions, and that increasing participation of women through political reservation can influence policymaking.

Ensuring increased political representation of women can improve equity and take us closer to an inclusive society and polity. Education and health, two tenets of sustainable growth, will strengthen families, communities, and nations because of the ripple effect.

Civil society organisations will have to raise awareness on governance issues and electoral processes among more women, motivate them to form their own networks. Discussions must be organised on schemes which are designed to have women as primary beneficiaries like the Janani Suraksha Yojana (cash incentives to promote institutional deliveries), Laqshya (aimed at improving quality maternity care), Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritya Abhiyan (reduce maternal and child mortality by providing universal and free quality antenatal care to pregnant women). Access to services, quality of care and accountability mechanisms will have to be strengthened at village, block and district levels across states.