WOMEN REPRESENTATION IN PARLIAMENT (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Party of India, led a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding 50% women’s reservation in Parliament and Assemblies.

Women's Political Representation in India

• Voting Rights for Women: India as a sovereign republic provided the right to vote for all its women right from the first general elections in 1952.
• Representation Gap in Legislatures: While the right to vote was provided to all women since the commencement of the Constitution, the representation of women in the Lok Sabha and State legislative assemblies has been far from satisfactory.
• Low Percentage of Women MPs: The % of women MPs in the Lok Sabha had been very low between 5% and 10% till 2004. It rose marginally to 12% in 2014 and currently stands at about 14% in the 18th Lok Sabha.
• Poor Representation in State Assemblies: The representation in State Legislative Assemblies is even poorer with the national average being around 9%.
• Reservation in Local Governance: The 73rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution in 1992/1993 provided for one-third reservation for women in panchayats and municipalities.
• India's Global Ranking in Women Representation: As of April 2024, India is ranked 143rd in the 'Monthly ranking of women in national parliaments,' according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

106th Constitutional Amendment

• About: It provided for one-third reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State legislative assemblies. 
• Objective: This reservation aims to ensure fair representation, enhance gender sensitivity in legislative processes, and potentially increase the number of women Ministers at both the Centre and State levels.

Global Scenario

• United Kingdom: In the recent U.K. general elections, a record 263 women MPs (40%) were elected to the House of Commons.
• South Africa: African National Assembly boasts around 45% women representation.
• U.S.A: The U.S. House of Representatives has 29% women representation.
• Milestones in Universal Suffrage: Universal suffrage was achieved through prolonged political movements, with New Zealand granting women the right to vote in 1893, the U.S. in 1920, and the U.K. in 1928.