Reservation for Women

Sep 26

I was the the branch manager in a semi-urban area where my responsibilities included catering to the financial needs of sixteen villages and their residents. I had also adopted 3 villages for community service banking, which required me to establish a strong rapport with the Sarpanch or Mukhiya (village head).

During my first visit to one of these villages, Samanna, I intended to meet with the Sarpanch, Imarati Devi. However, instead of her, a gentleman emerged from the house and greeted me. I inquired about his identity, and he replied, "I'm Panchpati.

At first, I mistook Panchpati for his name, but I soon realised that it signified his role as the husband of the sarpanch. While his wife held the elected position of Sarpanch, he effectively represented her in all external forums. Interestingly, Panchpati had previously served as the village sarpanch before the seat was reserved for women.

Later I came to know that this was not the isolated case. Several other female sarpanches also stayed mostly indoors, covering themselves with a veil when leaving their homes. In practice, their husbands were the ones carrying out their official duties.

That was the time when the Constitution Amendment Acts had mandated the reservation of one-third of seats for women in Panchayati Raj institutions and offices of the chairperson at all levels of Panchayati Raj institutions, and in urban local bodies respectively.

A significant transformation has occurred in the landscape of women's involvement. Five years ago, in my role as Zonal Head, I toured several villages in Bihar and was pleasantly surprised to witness women sarpanches and rural ladies actively participating in diverse activities.

They have gained financial independence through women's self-help groups at the village level, liberating them from dependence on their husbands. This transformation allows them to express themselves freely and present their perspectives succinctly.

Taking a step forward in promoting gender equality and women's upliftment, a recent special session of Parliament passed a unanimous legislation. This new law mandates the allocation of 33 percent of seats for women in the directly elected Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. While it may require some time for implementation, the essence of the legislation can be integrated into every aspect, starting with our own households.

Globally, there is an excess of men over women in the population, with 60 million more men than women currently. Yet, in many Middle Eastern nations, women outnumber men. In 2013, women made up 49.59 percent of the world's population, with the gender difference being less than 0.5 percent.

In the annals of history, both at home and abroad, we encounter numerous accomplished women. In India's cleanest city of Indore, Rani Ahilyabai Holkar, revered as a great scholar and administrator, once reigned as the queen. Today, she is cherished as a maternal figure.

Our nation has also witnessed the leadership of a female Prime Minister, and at present, women hold prominent positions as the President and Finance Minister. Moreover, in various nations, women lead as heads of state.

In the past, women demonstrated remarkable intelligence in managing their households as mothers and homemakers. However, in the modern era, astute women efficiently juggle both domestic and professional responsibilities with great efficiency and alacrity. Let women make their own choices; the decision should be theirs to make. Disregarding half of the population is not an option we can afford now.