Gender equality in political participation and decision-making process

  
                  Gender equality in political participation

                            and decision-making process

                                                                   -   Dr. Keshab Chandra Mandal 

                                                                 E-Mail: mandalkeshab2013@gmail.com

Gender equality in political participation and decision-making process is a fundamental aspect of modern democratic governance. The concept of good governance depends on “certain rules such as equity, effective participation, strong legal structure, and contribution of both men and women in different development activities and incorporates gender into it.”¹ India, the largest democracy and the second largest populated country in the world, became a member of the United Nations since its inception. Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which forms the basis of bill of rights of many national constitutions including India, declares that, “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”² Fair representation of women in political affairs is both desirable and important as it signifies credibility and legitimacy of democratic governance.

   

    Gender balance in democratic decision-making process is an essential component because women are harbingers of new ideas, insights, and perspectives to the political process that enriches the focus and content of discourse in politics and makes governments more responsive to the needs and aspirations of people and especially of unprivileged people including women. But gender imbalance is a common phenomenon in almost every society barring a few in Nordic countries. The pace of women’s participation in the political decision-making bodies is so slow globally and particularly in India that The Equal Opportunities Commission in the U.K. had to declare that, “At the current rate of progress it will take 200 years before the Westminster Parliament as equal representation of men and women.”³ Hence, the issue of gender empowerment through effective participation in political decision making bodies and other related activities has become a global concern. However, before discussing the issue of gender empowerment, let us first understand what is meant by the term ‘gender’ and then focus will be shifted to ‘empowerment’ and its different dimensions. Let us first begin with the etymology of gender.