Reservations are not enough to increase women's participation and representation in political processes

"Political institutions, from Parliament to Panchayats, must become more empowering and enabling for women to take on leadership roles."

- Sulata Deo, Member of Rajya Sabha

Currently, one-fourth of the world’s parliamentarians are women, while three-fourths are men. This falls short of the goal of gender parity, typically defined as a 50–50 split or at least 45–55, given that women represent 49.73 per cent of the global population.  

Additionally, less than 10 per cent of the world’s heads of state are women. Women serve as Heads of State and/or Government in only 31 countries, and they make up just 26.5 per cent of Members of Parliament globally. In India, women’s representation in Parliament is even lower, at only 14.7 per cent. 

The year 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Conference and the Platform for Action adopted in 1995. These have been assessed by the UN Commission on the Status of Women, reaffirming states’ commitments and highlighting the challenges in implementing gender equality goals.

The Platform for Action shifted the focus to the cultural and institutional mechanisms that exclude women from political decision-making, emphasising the responsibility of political institutions, including parties, which act as gatekeepers to elected positions.  

Women’s political representation is a crucial determinant of a gender-inclusive democracy and their role in state decision-making. India’s Constitution enshrines the principle of equal participation for women in all spheres of life. However, it took 27 years of debate and discussion, often reflecting insensitive and biased views rooted in social and cultural norms, to secure 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament.  

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, passed in 2023, aims to address gender disparity in legislative bodies and achieve a balanced power equation. However, this bill may not come into effect until the 2029 general elections. Meanwhile, 20 Indian states have increased the percentage of local reservations for women from 33 per cent to 50 per cent.  

The demand for women’s political participation in India dates back to pre-independence times. In 1931, prominent leaders Begum Shah Nawaz and Sarojini Naidu wrote to the British Prime Minister advocating for absolute equality of political status for Indian women. 

They stated, “To seek any form of preferential treatment would be to violate the integrity of the universal demand of Indian women for absolute equality of political status.”

Despite strong participation in movements, Indian women’s engagement in politics and decision-making bodies remains limited.  

Progress and challenges

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, India witnessed a historic surge in women's voter turnout, with women outnumbering men in 137 constituencies. 

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the total voter turnout was 65.79 per cent, with 65.78 per cent of female voters participating. This marks a significant shift in India’s electoral dynamics, with women emerging as a crucial voting bloc. Women's movements, autonomous organisations, and local-level reservations have motivated women to vote in large numbers.  

The ECI has actively improved safety and accessibility at polling booths to encourage more women to vote. 

For many women, voting represents a significant break from routine work and an opportunity to exercise their political rights and assert their presence in the public sphere. Despite the rise in women voters, their representation in state assemblies remains limited.

Addressing underlying economic and social barriers is crucial to ensuring they can exercise their right to vote, though this is only the first step towards their assimilation into the political system.  

Over the years, many political parties have emerged, split, merged, and disappeared. As of March 23, 2024, according to ECI publications and subsequent notifications, there are six national parties, 58 state parties, and 2,763 unrecognised parties. A total of 797 women candidates contested the 2024 elections, with 74 women elected across the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies — a decline from the 78 elected in 2019.  

Political parties often make promises to women voters before elections but fail to translate these into adequate tickets for women candidates. Contesting independently is challenging, so women rely on parties for support. However, women are often stereotyped and excluded from key decision-making positions within parties. 

The lack of internal democracy within parties makes it difficult for women to rise through the ranks and secure tickets. Greater transparency and accountability could enable women to break into the inner circles of party leadership.  

Most parties, whether national, regional, or local, have mahila wings that enrol and mobilise women supporters. However, these wings often fail to function as pressure groups within the parties and play no significant role in shaping policies or securing more tickets for women candidates. 

The patriarchal nature of politics remains distinctly visible, with gender-discriminatory statements from senior political leaders occasionally sparking media and public debate.  

Women parliamentarians in India, representing various political parties, are known for their robust debates and firm political positioning in support of their respective parties. 

However, there has yet to be an instance where they have united to collectively address issues affecting women. Instead, their views remain divided along party lines, highlighting the challenge of prioritising gender solidarity over political loyalty.  

Young women today are diverse, and the contexts in which they participate and the issues they face vary widely. Civic engagement can take many forms, from voting and volunteering to serving in community organisations and participating in social movements. 

Civic education prepares young people for participation in their communities and in democracy. Institutional reforms, such as implementing quotas and reservations, along with providing women access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, can help them become more effective leaders and participants in the political process.  

Views expressed are author's own and do not necessarily reflect that of Down To Earth