Women’s Representation in Politics 2024, Trend and Challenges

Context:

• In 2024, India elected 74 female Members of Parliament (MPs) to the Lok Sabha, which is four less than in 2019. This is a decrease from the 14.4% representation in the 2019 elections. And 52 more than the number elected in the first elections in 1952.
• The 18th Lok Sabha will consist of 74 women and 469 men, which translates to only 13.6% of total MPs being women. This percentage is significantly below the 33% that will be reserved for women following the upcoming delimitation exercise.
• A total of 797 women candidates had contested the elections with the BJP fielding the maximum at 69 followed by the Congress at 41.
• India’s performance in women’s parliamentary representation is lower than many other countries, with a global average of 27.6% women elected in 2023 across 52 countries.

The political representation of women in India has been far from satisfactory.

Global Political Representation of Women

• UK: In the recent general elections, 263 women MPs (40%) were elected to the House of Commons.
• South Africa: The National Assembly has around 45% women representation.
• US: The House of Representatives has 29% women representation.
• Historical Events of Women’s Suffrage:
  • New Zealand: First to grant universal women’s suffrage in 1893.
  • UK: Women received the right to vote in 1928.
  • US: Equal voting rights were granted through the 19th Amendment in 1920.

Trend of Women’s Representation in Lok Sabha 2024

Historical Representation:

• In 1952, women constituted only 41% of Lok Sabha members.
• This figure slightly increased to over 6% in the elections a decade later but dipped below 4% in 1971, despite Indira Gandhi, India’s first female Prime Minister, being in power.
• A gradual but inconsistent rise in female representation ensued, surpassing 10% in 2009 and reaching its highest at 14.36% in 2019.

• Current Representation: In the 2024 elections, 74 women were elected to Lok Sabha, representing 13.63% of its total membership, a decrease from the previous election.
• International Comparison: India lags behind several other nations in female parliamentary representation: South Africa has 46%, the UK has 35%, and the US has 29%.

Political Party-wise Distribution of Women MP’s in 2024

Leading Parties:

• Women MPs in 2024 hail from 14 different parties.
• The BJP has the highest number with 31 female MPs, followed by Congress with 13, and TMC with 11.
• Other notable contributions include SP (5), DMK (3), LJPRV (2), and JD(U) (2). Seven other parties have one female MP each.

Proportional Representation:

• TMC leads in proportion with 37.93% of its MPs being women.
• Congress and BJP have 13.13% and 12.92% women MPs, respectively.

Women MPs in 2024

• Out of the 74 elected women, 43 are first-time MPs.
• This ratio of newcomers (59%) is higher than the overall new MP ratio of 52% in the House.
• Women MPs have an average of 0.76 terms in the Lok Sabha.
• Demographics: The average age of women MPs is 50 years, younger than the overall average age of 56.
  • They match their male counterparts in education, with 78% holding at least an undergraduate degree.

Candidates in 2024 Elections

• Participation Rate: Of the total 8,360 candidates in the 2024 elections, about 10% were women, marking the first time this proportion has been reached. This participation rate has increased from just 3% in 1957.
• Party-specific Candidate Rates: Approximately 16% of BJP’s candidates were women, compared to 13% for Congress, both of which exceed the overall average.

Women Representatives in Independent India

• Right to Vote: India granted voting rights to all women from the first general elections in 1952.
• Lok Sabha Representation:
  • Low between 5% and 10% till 2004.
  • Marginally increased to 12% in 2014.
  • Currently stands at 14% in the 18th Lok Sabha.

• State Legislative Assemblies: The national average representation of women is around 9%.
• 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992/1993): Provided 1/3rd reservation for women in panchayats and municipalities.
• 106th Constitutional Amendment:
  • Passed in September 2023, provides for 1/3rd reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State legislative assemblies.
  • Aim: To increase gender sensitivity in parliamentary processes and legislation, and the number of women Ministers.
  • Implementation: Reservation will come into effect based on the delimitation exercise after the relevant Census figures are published.
    • The overdue Census since 2021 should be conducted promptly to implement the reservation by the general elections in 2029.
  • Current Ranking: India ranks 143 in the ‘Monthly ranking of women in national parliaments’ by the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Challenges Associated with Women Political Representation in India

• Historically Low Representation: The percentage of women MPs in the Lok Sabha has historically been low.
• Ineffective Quota Systems: Attempts to provide similar reservations for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies as in local governance (panchayats and municipalities) were unsuccessful between 1996 and 2008.
• Perception of Reserved Quotas: There is a perception that having reserved quotas in parliament for women may undermine the principle of merit and competitiveness.
  • This could also reduce MPs’ incentives to nurture their constituencies, as the reserved seats would be rotated after each delimitation.
• Delayed Census and Implementation: The delay in conducting the overdue Census since 2021 poses a challenge to timely implementation of 106th CAA.
• Women’s Reservation Bill: Despite the recent passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill, which reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, actual female participation as candidates and elected officials remains low.
• Candidate Representation: Only 9.6% of all candidates in the 2024 elections were women, which is a slight increase from 9% in 2019.
• Misogyny in Politics: Female candidates often face misogynistic remarks and challenges from their peers, which could deter participation.
• Structural Barriers: The low number of female candidates is a significant barrier to increasing women’s representation in parliament.

Global Methods to Increase Women Representation

• Voluntary or mandated quotas for female candidates within political parties
• Designated quotas in parliament through seat reservations

International Comparison: Mexico’s Progress

• Recent Election: Claudia Sheinbaum was elected as Mexico’s first female president in a recent election, symbolising significant progress.
• Legislative Reforms: Mexico has implemented gender parity laws requiring equal representation of women in all government spheres.
• Results: These reforms have led to gender parity in both houses of Parliament and significant female representation in major political offices.

Way Forward

• Refine Quotas: Strengthen and enforce quota systems to ensure effective representation of women in both Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
• Public Awareness: Launch campaigns to shift perceptions on reserved quotas, highlighting the compatibility of diversity and merit.
• Constituency Stability: Implement continuous development programs that support consistency in constituency service, despite MP rotations.
• Expedite Census: Accelerate the census and delimitation processes to enable timely application of the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act.
• Evaluate Impact: Develop a framework to monitor the effects of increased women’s representation, refining policies based on these insights.

Responsibility and Action

• Need for Reform: India has seen success at increasing women’s political participation at the local level and now needs to focus on the state and national levels.
• Role of Political Parties: Political parties play a crucial role in promoting gender-sensitive reforms and ensuring women have fair opportunities to participate and be elected.
• Vigilance and Commitment Required: Continuous effort and vigilance are necessary to improve women’s representation in politics, as progress is not always linear and is never guaranteed.

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