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Women's Reservation Bill, a Forgotten Issue.

Women, once considered fit only for carrying out domestic chores, looking after the house and babies have expanded their role as professionals. In India especially they have made major inroads in various male dominated professions. In the spheres of business, medicine, law, art and culture, women who were given opportunities to acquire the necessary skills and education have proved themselves capable of holding their own, without availing of special measures to facilitate their entry. However, in spite of the fact that we have had a woman prime minister, chief ministers and now a president, women have not really made any remarkable inroads into politically fulltime.

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The agenda for women's empowerment seems to have lost the kind of moral and politically legitimacy it used to enjoy during the freedom movement. Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggle mobilized as many women to participate with men in the movement. Women are moving in the direction of near equal political participation in only a handful of countries- Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. In India also the need exists for special consideration of women's representation. Even the best of female parliamentarians feel sidelined and powerless within their respective parties. Most women in electoral and party politics are an ineffective minority within their own respected political groupings.

The female population of India [2001 census] is 495,738,169 as compared to male population of 531,277,078. The literacy rate of women is 54.16%, the sex ratio [females per 1000males] is 933 and labor force is 90 million. Representation in the legislature and ability to influence policy decision of the government can bring about some change in the dismal condition of women even after 62odd years of independence.

The male party leaders race with each other in announcing their support for singular reservations for women. These same politicians have shown little willingness to include women in party decisions. In fact, women's marginalization is even more pronounced in the day-to-day functioning of almost all political parties, than in the parliament. It is urgently required that we take special measures to enhance women's political participation.

The constitution provides for affirmative action to redress social inequalities. Even today we have only 8% women in parliament. The reason for this is not the lack of able women, rather they have been actively been kept out of the political arena by vested interests. The Women's Reservation Bill has been framed keeping in mind this need of the women to participate in politics.

The 85th constitutional amendment bill introduced in the Lok Sabha included the following key provisions for women. - 1/3rd of all seats in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha shall be reserved for women.
- Such reservation shall also apply in case of seats reserved for SC/ST's.
- There shall be rotation of seats so reserved for women.

Before this bill was introduced, the 73rd and 74th amendments provided for the reservation of seats for women in the local bodies of Panchayats and municipalities. However, the Women's Reservation Bill has not been passed and is facing opposition from different section. Already the passing of the bill has been deferred 4times due to lack of consensus among the parties. One of the oppositions to this bill was the apprehension that only economically advanced women would be elected to parliament. Women of OBC/SC/ST background would be totally ignored.

The demand for reservation among the reserved seats should be made for women belonging of families of farmers, laborers and minorities. This controversy regarding Reservation Bill should be considered seriously and consent should be arrived at quickly. In India, 33% of reservation of seats for women in Panchayat bodies has already been made. This provision, if fully utilized can offer them an improved role in village affairs and will add to their might in fighting in opposition to sexual bias.

An interesting development relating to reservations for women has come to light. The Law Ministry's Department of Company Affairs [DCA] proposed that all public limited and joint stock companies should reserve a fifth of their board places for women. However, the DCA added that presence of women would ensure that workers welfare is sufficiently addressed. This would imply that being caring were their only qualities. Women would bring sensitive perspective to issues before the board. But we must realize that the woman who manages family and career is a professional asset.

Reservations may seem unfair as they may deprive the meritorious and deserving candidates because they didn't have the right caste or social class. But the 33% reservation of women in Panchayats has put real issues on the agenda at the grass-roots. This made development far more organic than a top down approach ever could. The proposed reservation for women in the parliament is the need of the hour. Our democracy will remain seriously flawed if it fails to yield adequate space to women.

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-Romila Chitturi