Inspira- Journal of Modern Management & Entrepreneurship 27

Volume 02, No. 3, July, 2012, pp. 27-32

Panchayati Raj and Women Empowerment

∗
Dr. Neelam Upadhyaya

Gender inequality manifests itself especially in the trend of continuously

declining female ratio in the population, increasing violence at the domestic and
societal levels and discrimination against girl children and women in our country. The
fundamental causes of gender inequality are related to social, political, legal and
economic structure, norms, and practices.
As a result, the women particularly those belonging to weaker sections
including Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/ Other Backward Classes especially
from rural areas, are deprived from education, health and productive resources.
Therefore, they remain largely marginalized, poor and socially excluded.
Democracy would be rendered meaningless without gender equity in the
society. Women constitute about 50% of the population so the pace of development in
any Civil Society would be slow if they are not facilitated to participate in the
development process.
The principle of gender equality is included in the Indian Constitution in its
Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive principles. The
Constitution grants equality to women as well as empowers the State to adopt
measures of positive gender discrimination in favor of women.
Our constitution, laws, Plans and programmes, development policies have
aimed at women’s empowerment in different dimensions. Our country has witnessed
a shift in the approach towards women’s issues from the Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-78)
onwards. In recent years, the issue of women empowerment has been recognized as
the central issue in determining the status of women.
India has also supported various international conventions and committees to
secure equal rights of women and to establish gender equality. Some of them are - The
Mexico Plan of Action (1975), the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies (1985), The
National Commission for Women (1990) to safeguard the legal and political rights of
women, the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW) in 1993, the Beijing Declaration (1995) and the Outcome Document
adopted by the UNGA Session on Gender Equality and Development & Peace for the
21st century etc.
In the last few years the women’s movement and network of Non-
Government Organizations have contributed in inspiring the process for the
empowerment of women. Many policies have been taken for their advancement and
empowerment. These initiatives are aimed to create an environment through positive

∗
Lecturer in Political Science, B B D Govt. P.G. College, Chimanpura, Shahpura, Jaipur
28 Inspira- Journal of Modern Management & Entrepreneurship : July, 2012

economic and social policies for women to enjoy all human rights and fundamental
freedom, equal access to health care, quality education, employment, social security,
equal right to participate in decision making in social, political and economic life of
the nation , strengthen legal systems to eliminate all forms of discrimination against
women, to change societal attitudes, mainstream a gender perspective in the
development process, and eliminate the discrimination and violence against women
and the girl child.
Women’s equality in power sharing and active participation in decision
making, including decision making in political process at all levels will be ensured for
the achievement of the goals of empowerment. All measures will be taken to
guarantee women equal participation in decision making bodies at the legislative,
executive and judicial level.
Panchayat Raj Institutions as grassroots democratic governance institutions
are a necessary, but not sufficient condition in the transformation to a better social
order. And in that transformation, enabling women's participation through
reservations is a first and important step.
With the increasing awareness for the issues of women many attempts have
been taken to involve them in the political affairs and decision-making process, the
73rd and 74th Amendments (1993) to the Constitution of India have provided for
reservation of seats in the local bodies of Panchayats and Municipalities for women,
laying a strong foundation for their participation in decision making at the local levels.
The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1993) to the Indian Constitution have served as a
breakthrough towards ensuring equal access and increased participation in political
power structure for women. The Panchayat Raj Institutions will play a central role in
the process of enhancing women’s participation in public life. The Panchayat Raj
Institutions and the local self Governments will be actively involved in the
implementation and execution of the National Policy for Women at the grassroots
level.
The 73rd and 74th amendments prescribed a three-tier system of local
governance for the entire country. The working of this Three Tiers of Panchayat Raj
Institution’s can be summarized as-
These bodies of local government have a pyramidal structure. At the base is
the Gram Sabha—the entire body of citizens in a village. This is the general body that
elects the local government and charges it with specific responsibilities. This body is
expected to meet at specific times and approve major decisions taken by the elected
body.
Above this is the gram panchayat, which is the first level elected body,
covering a population of around five thousand people. It may include more than one
village.
At the district level is a zilla panchayat, which is the link with the state
government. In Karnataka, there is an intermediate body between the two is, the taluk
panchayat, which is expected to play a coordinating role among the GPs in its
jurisdiction and the ZP in planning and administration. While the levels are common
across the country, states have passed laws that are not necessarily similar with
respect to roles functions and responsibilities.
Panchayati Raj and Women Empowerment 29

Securing 33% reservation for women in opening the doors of opportunity for
political empowerment to almost 50% of our population. It will serve the cause of
democracy as the Panchayati Raj Institutions at the grassroots level as well as ensure
political equality through active participation of woman from both urban and rural
areas. The members of weaker sections including women are given representation by
a fixed quota.
Since political power has been granted to women by reserving 33% of the
total seats for women at all the three tiers of Panchayati Raj (local government). The
aim was to facilitate women’s active empowerment at the local level. This means the
contests can only be between women in these constituencies. The first step in enabling
women to participate has been taken. The act has made the pattern of reservation
uniform all over the country. There by encouraging a new class of leadership
especially for women. This reservation of seats, in the 1993-94 elections, has brought
in about 800,000 women into the political process in a single election.
Women's political empowerment in the last years through the Constitution
amendments has exploded several myths, like the belief that they are passive and
disinterested in political institutions; upper strata women will come through
reservation; only the relatives of powerful politicians will enter panchayats through
political connectivity to keep the seats for them; and women are only proxy - 'name-
sake' - members and they do not participate in the panchayats. We can say that some
women do fit into the patriarchally oriented framework, and these myths proved.
Initially, women were hesitant to enter this new political arena, due to
presence of vested interest groups prevailing proxy rule situation. Thus the power
remained in the hands of the traditionally powerful groups. A new class of 'sarpanch
patis' also emerged where the husband of the woman sarpanch managed the affairs of
the panchayat, while the woman acted only as a rubber stamp. It is evident that many
women elected to the local bodies/panchayats are surrogates for husbands and
fathers who could not contest because of reservation.
There are many factors that influence the effective participation of women in
the new Panchayat Raj Institutions. Some of them are-
1. The poverty in which most of the people live makes democracy a far-away
concept. Representatives of Panchayat Raj Institutions have to decide if
attending Institutions meetings is sometimes worth missing their daily wage.
This is more important in the case of women, who have to worry about crying
babies and hungry husbands.
2. This new system co-exists with traditional institutions. The traditional
institutions have not given space for women in India. If the Panchayat Raj
Institutions are to succeed in their main goals, then they must work in harmony
with these traditional institutions, not confront them.
3. Women of reserved caste suffers `with their social and economic disadvantages’
– mostly non-literate, with little productive assets, largely dependent on wage
labour and into a rural society that has fixed places for various castes and
gender. These cannot be changed by a wave of the constitutional amendment.
30 Inspira- Journal of Modern Management & Entrepreneurship : July, 2012

4. Giving positions to women in the panchayat is good enough. But it would be

hard to believe that it would resolve social injustice towards them. Women not
just have a gender identity but class and caste identities also. In fact gender
phenomenon never affects alone rather it is always influenced with caste, class
and religious factors. If there is a clash between gender and caste or class, we
cannot expect women to go with other women, against their caste loyalties.
5. The state administration is usually gender insensitive. The officials of
departments of the state government decide majority of matters related to local
administration. They ignore panchayat authorities. Hence the power given to
them must be reduced.
6. The present relationship between NGOs and Panchayat Raj Institutions is also a
hindrance in successful working of those institutions. NGOs are working in the
social sector, and have strong links at the grassroots so they dislike the
emergence of Panchayat Raj Institutions because they now have to vacate space
for these new bodies. There are NGOs that see Panchayat Raj Institutions as
rivals and competitors for implementing government programs and believe
they are superior because they are not "political".
7. Some other factors like inadequate awareness, disliking to public activities,
burden of household work and wage work outside and discouragement from
men and family also influence the Panchayat Raj Institutions.
However, there is serious resistance against elected women from the male
dominated patriarchal Indian society and as a result, sometimes; elected women have
become the victims of exploitation, violence, and harassment. There are many
evidences from all over the country of violations of their rights despite constitutional
provisions.
The issue of reservation in general, and for women in particular confront with
problems and oppositions by male vested interests, the most serious criticism being
that it is undemocratic. It is feared that it will disrupt the system of male control in
almost all political institutions, from village councils to parliament.
To overcome the constraints, the Department of Rural Development have
issued directions in States like Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh that male
relatives of women ‘Pradhans’ shall not be allowed to interfere in the work of
Panchayat to discourage women Pradhans in discharging their functions. The
Government of Kerala have set up Women Self Help Groups/ Neighborhood Groups
to ensure greater participation of women at the Gram Sabha and other Panchayat
level institutions and have also taken steps to create awareness among the people
(including men) about the role of women in Panchayat.
Women members are attending the training programs and acquiring the
necessary skills to discharge their duties efficiently. But, now it is widely recognized
that decentralization of power to the local bodies and women's active participation on
a large scale in the management of the local affairs in the villages has enhanced their
status and rights. In many states there is greater awareness about gender equality and
women's rights through the work of women's organizations and especially where
human rights initiatives have taken it as a challenge to protect the interests of women
in society.
Panchayati Raj and Women Empowerment 31

It has been observed that women are standing up (though slowly) to the
challenges and establishing their positions as leaders in all the States. They have
proved to be very effective in mobilizing community support and raising
important issues at both Gram Panchayat and Gram Sabha Meetings. In some cases
it has been observed that the participation of people in Gram Sabha Meetings
conducted by women is higher than in meetings conducted by men. Even in States
like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh where rigid customs like ‘purdah’ restrict the mobility
and participation of women in the public sphere, women members are conducting,
attending and raising issues of concern in Gram Sabha Meetings.5 Women members
have also successfully mobilized the support of the women’s organizations which are
active in their areas and in that process they are succeeding in getting them to
actively participate in the decision making process.
It has also evident that wherever women hold positions in local bodies there
is greater efficiency and transparency in the running of public affairs. The state
governments and civil society organizations are today recognizing the outstanding
women leaders in the panchayat.
Women need to reinforce their own strength, organization and mobilization,
gain access to the State and the formulation of public policy and transform it to a
gender just and more equitable state.
But it may not be appropriate to expect miracles overnight in the historical
and cultural context of Indian Social system. The empowerment of women demands
that they must be able to think and act according to their conscience. Education and
training being the sources from which they can improve the knowledge base and
exposure level related to their rights, their role in the development process, rural
development programs etc.
The involvement of voluntary organizations, associations, federations, trade
unions, non-governmental organizations, women’s organizations, as well as
institutions dealing with education, training and research is required in the
formulation, implementation, monitoring and review of all policies and programs
affecting women. Towards this end, they will be provided with appropriate support
related to resources and capacity building and facilitated to participate actively in the
process of the empowerment of women. But, there is still a wide gap between the
goals established in our Constitution, policies, plans, legislation, programs, and the
reality of the status of women in India.

References

1. National Policy For the Empowerment of Women (2001)

2. Anupam Roy, ‘Empowerment for Social Change’, Yojana, Vol.52, No.10, 2008.
3. Ashok Kumar Jha et al. (eds.), Women In Panchayati Raj Institutions, New Delhi: Anmol,
2004.
4. Aysha Sumbul, “Women’s Reservation Bill - A critique”, People’s Union for Civil
Liberties (PUCL) Bulletin, August 2004
5. George Mathew, “Panchayati Raj institutions and human rights, People’s Union for Civil
Liberties (PUCL) Bulletin, March 2003
32 Inspira- Journal of Modern Management & Entrepreneurship : July, 2012

6. Neelima Deshmukh, “Women’s Empowerment Through Panchayati Raj Institutions”, in

Indian Journal of Public Administration, Vol. LI, No. 2, New Delhi: IIPA, 2005.
7. N.C.Joshi , ‘Women Welfare – A Priority on the Government’s Agenda’, Kurukshetra,
Vol.56, No.II, 2008.
8. Rajesh Gill , “Empowering Women Through Panchayats”, in Man and Development,
Vol. XXVIII, No. 4, Chandigarh: CRRID, 2006.
9. S.S. Sree Kumar, “Representation of Women in Legislature: A Sociological Perspective in
the Indian Context”, in Indian Journal of Political Science, Vol. LXVII, No. 3, Meerut:
Indian Political Science Association, 2006.
10. S.L. Kaushik and Kiran Hooda (2002), “Political Participation of Elected Women at
Grassroots Level”, in Indian Management Studies Journal, Vol. 6, No. 1, Patiala: Punjabi
University, pp. 52-53.
11. S.L. Goel and Shalini Rajneesh (2003), Panchayati Raj in India —Theory and Practice,
New Delhi: Deep and Deep, p.272.
12. “Training and Empowerment of Women in Local Bodies”; Margaret Alva, Chairperson,
Committee on Empowerment of Women. New Delhi, May, 2002