WOMEN PARTICIAPTION OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN INDIA

Author Name: Ankilla Shankar

Volume/Issue: 03/01

Country: India

DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: https://www.doi-ds.org/doilink/07.2022-51335396/UIJIR

Affiliation:

Department of Political Science, Kakatiya University, Warangal, Telangana, India

ABSTRACT

The role of women in politics can be measured by the turn out of women candidates in each election. It is an important indicator of the working and functioning of true democracy in any country. The overall political participation of women in India is a contested issue and opinion is quite varied and divergent. Women's entry into political decision making is viewed inevitable to deal with various forms of women's oppression and to improve their status. Gender equality is essential for effective participation of women in strengthening the institutional structure of democracy. Leaders in political parties still do not have the political will to give equal space to women in political parties or in Legislatures. The strategies adopted by different countries to increase the representation of women in political parties and consequently in the legislatures. There are three types of gender quotas such as (i) Legal Candidate Quota (ii) Voluntary Political Party Quota and (iii) Reserved Seats Quota, used to increase the representation of women in legislatures. The women's wings of the political parties do try to raise pro-women issues. But there is lack of co-ordination among the women's wings and there parent parties. As the office bearers of these women's wings are handpicked by the respective party leadership. They are not in position to take a stand against any policy of the party. Women's wings have failed to make the parties accede to their demand for adequate representation for women within the parties. There is need for more co-ordination within the women's wings and the political parties. The women's wings must take along other non-governmental organizations to work for the betterment of women in society.

Key words: Political Participation, Women, National Parties.