Women empowerment in true sense will be possible only when we address the problem of gender bias. A quota Bill will be of no help
The revival of the demand for the Women’s Reservation Bill is raising its head once again. The chorus is now led by none other than Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who pitched for the passage of the Bill in Parliament on March 8. While Sonia Gandhi was instrumental in getting the Bill passed in Rajya Sabha six years ago, she failed to get it through the lok Sabha.
It is ironic that the Bill that seeks to provide for one-third reservation of seats for women in Parliament and State legislatures has broad support from various political parties, but is hanging fire in the lok Sabha for the past 19 years.
Since the adoption of International Women’s Day in 1975, the status of women has improved in India, but the pace has been slow. While there is no lack of lip service from politicians of all hues, they shy away from supporting this legislation.
In 1989, the Rajiv Gandhi Government had presented in Parliament a Constitutional Amendment Bill, seeking 33.3 per cent reservation for women in panchayats and municipalities, but it was defeated by five votes in the Rajya Sabha. Three years later, the PV Narasimha Rao Government got the Bill passed in Parliament and this led to the emergence of about a million women sarpanchas in India today.
Successive Governments since 1996 made efforts to pass the Bill, but were prevented on three different occasions: First in 1996, then in 1997 and again in 1998. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government tried to re-introduce the Bill in 1998 and the UPA Government too tried to come to a consensus on the issue, but all in vain.
This time, with the Modi Government at the helm, the demand for the passage of the Bill has risen once again. “Our Government is working towards evolving consensus… Hope we succeed at the earliest”, said Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Venkaiah Naidu in the lok Sabha on March 8.
Even as women as a bloc can account for a sizeable vote-bank, the consensus continues to elude. While there is a divided opinion in almost all the parties except the left, the main opponents are the Janata Dal (United), the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Samajwadi Party. The Shiv Sena, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and the Bahujan Samaj Party too are opposed to the passage of the Bill.
let’s get one thing clear: Do we need a quota for women at allIJ Much has been argued for and against it. The vociforus argument was that it will give women a voice in decision-making and new talent will sprout from among the women. The argument against is that the minorities will not be benefitted out of this measure and seat rotation will see less dedicated Members of Parliament. Above all, sisters, wives and daughters of political leaders will benefit from such a measure.
It is true that true talent cannot be suppressed and those women who have made it to the top will vouch for this. Women like Sarojini Naidu participated in the freedom struggle. There are at least two women Chief Ministers and five party presidents in our country today. We have a woman Speaker and had a woman President too. We have women judges in the Supreme Court and the High Courts. Women are doing well in the Armed Forces and administrative services, and there are other areas where they have broken the glass ceiling. But the point of concern is that there is no end to gender bias.
Will the quota Bill solve gender problemsIJ The answer will be a big ‘no’. Fighting for substantive empowerment and change also entails a struggle for basic change in mindset against rape, Khap panchayats, honour killings etc which are retrograde in values. No doubt, stringent laws against these can help as it is the the implementation which is lacking.
Instead of waiting for political empowerment and showing their power at the time of voting, women must fight for their due share. Political parties too can give more tickets to women candidates instead of arguing against their capacity to win. Women leaders should try to promote the cause of women. There should be no gender bias anywhere.
The whole thing begins at home, with women taking care of their children’s education. After all, Indian women got their franchise much before many other countries and India had a woman Prime Minister too before many other countries. India has a long way to go in women empowerment.