It’s no secret that women are under-represented in Indian politics. However strategically speaking does it make sense for political parties to back female politicians? The answer to that question is a resounding YES, and not because it’s the ‘’right’’ thing to do.
REASON 1: WOMEN ACTUALLY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF WINNING!
In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections only 161 females received tickets from major* political parties. However, 36% of these women who were given tickets were victorious. Compared to this, only 25% of the men who were given tickets were victorious.
REASON 2: MIGHT IS WELL PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!
There is no need for women’s reservation in the Indian parliament. All that the political parties need to do is to look at inward. Parties like BJP, Congress and CPM were going head over heels celebrating the passing of a bill in the Rajya Sabha that supports 33% reservation for women in the parliament. However, these very parties have pathetic records when it comes to distributing tickets to women during elections:
In addition, the countries which are most successful in bringing women to parliament are ones that have quotas within parties and not necessarily within the parliament.
——————————————————
Copyright secured by Digiprove
even quota will be of no use wen women from political dynasties will be get selected.!!! the recent news of akilesh;’s wife cming into politics.., ultimately, the thread will be in the male hands only.!!!!
@eeb272e8281279b2c539b9c889f39469:disqus That is true. However, dynastic politics isn’t something exclusive to women. Ironically even despite dynastic politics women are grossly under-represented.
womens contesting in elections is agood thing our indian constitution is providing reservation to womemin elections from panchayat to paliament and in all fields women who are contesting and after wininig their husbands and sons and also son inlaw s and relatives who are males and relatives aredoing administration and enjoying the power and developing their business but our lady leader are enjoying with designation and waering costly sarres mtching jackets and ornaments of various types suchas gold and travelling in heavy vehicles and attending functions and taking gifts eating funtional foods and publicity inform of banners and cut outs but womenn leaders are not use ful to males bot also for females they good for nothing
Nothing But Despair
?
Do forthcoming Lok Sabha elections hold anything but
despair for the women of India ?
Unfortunate , but I don’t think so
Optimists may want to look at the following
statistics :
Lok Sabha of / No of Women Contestants / Winners
/ Percentage
> 1957 / 45 / 27 / 60 %
> 1967 / 67 / 30 / 45 %
> 1980 / 142 / 28 / 20 %
> 1998 / 274 / 43 / 16 %
> 1999 / 296 / 52 / 17 %
> 2004 / 355 / 45 / 13 %
> 2009 / 556 / 59 / 10 %
> 2014 ? 600 ? 60
? 10
% ?
My reasons for despair
:
> Even though
marginally more number of women may contest in 2014 ,
the
percentage of women winners may either remain same or decline
> Apparently
– and sadly – women voters ( nearly 400+ million ) will
continue to
vote for male candidates
> With a
male-dominated Lok Sabha , Women’s Reservation Bill , which is
pending for
the past 40 years , will continue to remain pending for next
40 years
> With 11 % women
in Lok Sabha , India ranks 111th out of 185 countries
when it comes
to women representation in parliaments of these countries
>
Criminalization of politics will continue as before , despite the fact
that ,in
the current Lok
Sabha , only 6 women MPs have ” Criminal Cases ”
pending
against them , as against 161 male MPs who have such a
reputation !
Is there any hope
?
Yes ,
> If all
women members of 7 National level and 34 Regional level political
parties
resign en-masse from their current parties and come together to
form WAR (
Women And Rights ) party
> Accept only
women as members of this WAR party
> Put up
women candidates for all 543 Lok Sabha seats ( too late for 2014 )
> Persuade
women voters not to vote for any male candidate
WOMEN OF INDIA ,
If you think , by some magic , male-dominated Lok Sabha
will hand-over to
you EQUALITY on a platter , then forget it
You are fooling no one but yourself !
Don’t expect the males to gift you , your RIGHTS
You will need to forcefully snatch away what is
rightfully , yours !
Empower Yourself
!
Stop self – pity and ask yourself ,
” How come a developing African country like RWANDA , has 60
% members of its parliament , women ? ”
* hemen parekh
( 30 March
2014 / Mumbai
)
What efforts have you made to encourage more women to join political parties?