Women’s reservation is still a point of contention
After Nagaland, who will revive the Women’s Reservation Bill?
The women’s reservation Bill is stuck in the collective throat of the Central Government like a huge fish bone that it does not want to swallow and dare not spit out. Women’s reservations in elected bodies challenge gender based inequality in politics and in decision making powers, and therefore strengthens democracy in a wider sense. Even though it has proved successful in local bodies the next logical step to extension in Assemblies and Parliament is thwarted by the insecurities and sense of entitlement of entrenched male privilege. The women of Nagaland have the support of women all over the country and those opposing reservations in the name of identity no doubt have the secret support of those in power in Delhi. The Bill,passed in 2010 in the Rajya Sabha is still valid. The Government needs to, prioritise it and ensure its passage in the Lok Sabha.
Brinda Karat, Rajya Sabha member
My team and I provided training to men and women equally in the 48 panchayats across West Bengal, and collected the data along 600 data points. This was for a whole year, with the help of some local NGOs. The findings were insightful. Initially, both men and women were poor in financial and conflict management and were unable to provide effective solutions when there was trouble. When the training was complete, women seemed to respond far better than men in most of the data points. This included superior leadership, a sense of compassion for people, and better problem solving. The women in the study went far deeper into problems presented to them as opposed to their male counterparts. The only reasoning I can offer for those who are anti-reservation is a sense of insecurity which sometimes manifests itself in violent ways.
Debasis Malik, Professor, SP Jain Institute
We are primarily a male dominated society and our women have always been treated as second-class citizens. It is almost as if they are threatened when females make it to top positions, in both grassroots and corporate positions and get things done. Women have made their mark in almost every field, with defense being the most recent and heartening. Imagine where they would be if parity was actually afforded to them. The reservation aspect is good, and is not being given the importance that it deserves.
Source: DNA. 7-02-2017
