Reasons for Low Representation
- Gender stereotypes: Women have traditionally been tasked with handling home duties. Women should be encouraged to break out from their traditional positions and participate in their country’s decision-making.
- Competition: Politics is a highly competitive field. Female politicians are also competitors. Many politicians are anxious that if women are granted voting rights, their seats will be rotated to women candidates, robbing them of their ability to fight from their seats.
- Lack of Political Education: Women’s social mobility is influenced by their education. Formal education allows for leadership development and instills key leadership skills. Due to a lack of political understanding, they are unaware of their basic and political rights.
- Work and Family: Women spend much more time at home and with their children than men due to the unequal distribution of family care tasks. A woman must devote time and effort not just during pregnancy and childbirth, but even when the child is no longer dependent on her parents for care.
- Lack of Political Networks: Lack of transparency in political decision-making and undemocratic internal processes are challenges for all newcomers, but especially for women, who lack insider knowledge and political networks.
- Lack of Resources: Due to their lack of representation in India’s inner political party structure, women are unable to gather resources and support for growing their political constituencies. Women do not receive appropriate financial backing from political parties in order to run for office.
- Social Conditioning: They must accept the restrictions that have been imposed on them and bear the weight of society on their shoulders. Public opinion influences not only how many female candidates win general elections, but also how many are considered and nominated for office, both directly and indirectly.
- Unfriendly Environment: Political parties are unwelcoming to women; they must work hard and overcome numerous obstacles in order to secure a place inside the organization. There has been an uptick in political violence. Due to an increase in crime, corruption, and insecurity, women have been forced out of politics.
Gender and Politics
The gender divide is commonly perceived as natural and irreversible. Rather than biology, it is founded on social expectations and preconceptions. The effect of this division of labor is that, despite accounting for half of humanity, women have a minor role in public life, particularly politics, in most nations. Only men were previously permitted to participate in public affairs, vote, or run for public office. Gradually, the question of gender became more prominent in politics. It advocated that women’s political and legal status be improved, as well as their educational and career prospects. Feminist movements are movements started by women to achieve equality in personal and family life.
Table of Content
- Political Representation of Women
- Women Representation in Democracy
- Reasons for Low Representation
- Special Initiatives for Women
- Steps Ahead
Gender and Politics
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