{"id":15858,"date":"2024-04-28T08:14:20","date_gmt":"2024-04-28T08:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jammubulletin.com\/site\/?p=15858"},"modified":"2024-04-28T08:14:20","modified_gmt":"2024-04-28T08:14:20","slug":"just-8-of-women-candidates-in-first-two-phases-of-lok-sabha-polls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jammubulletin.com\/site\/just-8-of-women-candidates-in-first-two-phases-of-lok-sabha-polls\/","title":{"rendered":"Just 8% Of Women Candidates In First Two Phases Of Lok Sabha Polls"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW DELHI, Apr 28: Women constituted only eight per cent of the total 1,618\u00a0 candidates in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls<\/a>, with political activists saying it reflects a deeper issue of gender bias and that the talk of empowering them rings hollow.<\/p>\n

In the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls<\/a>, there were 135 women candidates while in the second phase, there were 100 women candidates, bringing the combined total for the first two phases to 235 women candidates.<\/div>\n
Of the 135 women candidates in phase 1, Tamil Nadu had the highest share at 76, but they account for just 8 per cent of the candidates in the state, while Kerala<\/a> has the maximum women candidates at 24 in phase 2.<\/div>\n
Party-wise, the Congress has fielded 44 women till now while 69 women have been fielded by the BJP in the first two phases.<\/div>\n
This significant gender imbalance has sparked criticism from political analysts and activists, who ask why parties are waiting for the Women\u2019s Reservation Bill<\/a> to be implemented instead of proactively issuing tickets to women.<\/div>\n
Dr Sushila Ramaswamy, Associate Professor at Delhi University\u2019s Jesus and Mary College, said political parties should take concrete steps to promote women\u2019s candidacy.<\/div>\n
\u201cPolitical parties should have been more proactive and fielded more women candidates,\u201d she underscored, citing the effectiveness of seat reservations for women within party structures, as seen in the Britain\u2019s Labour Party.<\/div>\n
With women constituting nearly half of India\u2019s electorate, their under representation in the candidate pool raises broader questions about the barriers hindering women\u2019s full participation in the political sphere, Dr. Iftekhar Ahmad Ansari, Associate Professor at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), said.<\/div>\n
Beyond the symbolic gestures and promises, he stressed the importance of structural reforms to ensure equal opportunities for women in politics.<\/div>\n
He highlighted the critical role of party leadership in promoting gender diversity.<\/div>\n
\u201cPolitical parties must prioritise gender inclusion in candidate selection and provide adequate support to women aspirants,\u201d she emphasised.<\/div>\n
The issue of women\u2019s political representation extends beyond numerical quotas to encompass systemic changes in party dynamics and electoral processes, Farhat Jahan, a retired faculty member at the Abdullah Women\u2019s College at the AMU said while emphasising the need for gender-sensitive policies that address challenges faced by women in politics.<\/div>\n
\u201cThe upcoming phases of the elections present an opportunity for political parties to demonstrate their commitment to gender equality through concrete actions. Initiatives such as mentorship programs, capacity-building workshops, and awareness campaigns can empower women to actively participate in the electoral process and pursue leadership roles,\u201d she added.<\/div>\n
Prof. Mohammad Aftab Alam from the political science department at the AMU pointed out the challenges women often face in forming independent political opinions amidst societal influences.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven the ones elected are often relegated to symbolic roles,\u201d he remarked, highlighting broader issues of token representation.<\/div>\n
The BJD is the only party, which as a policy, gives 33 per cent tickets to female candidates.<\/div>\n
Meera Parida, state vice president of the Biju Mahila Dal of the BJD, stressed the need for substantive action in women\u2019s empowerment and praised her party\u2019s initiative of reserving 33 per cent of seats for women.<\/div>\n
\u201cReserving seats alone is not enough. We need a cultural shift where women are seen as leaders and decision-makers,\u201d she emphasised, advocating for comprehensive reforms.<\/div>\n
Both major parties \u2014 the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress\u2013 have listed women-centric initiatives in their manifestoes.<\/div>\n
The BJP\u2019s manifesto promises to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to honour and empower women, integrate women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) into the service sector to enhance their economic participation and expand health services.<\/div>\n
The Congress has pledged legislative reforms for women\u2019s empowerment, including the immediate enactment of the Women\u2019s Reservation Bill.<\/div>\n
However, these commitments are yet to translate into substantial numbers of women contesting elections.<\/div>\n
Alka Lamba, Chief of Congress Women\u2019s Wing, highlighted the Congress\u2019s commitment to gender equality across sectors.<\/div>\n
\u201cThe Congress has extended political, economic, and social rights to women,\u201d Lamba affirmed, outlining ambitious targets for women\u2019s representation in leadership roles.<\/div>\n
As the Lok Sabha elections progress, the spotlight is on political parties to address these concerns and demonstrate tangible commitments towards fostering women\u2019s participation and representation in governance.<\/div>\n
The upcoming poll phases will be closely monitored to assess whether there is a meaningful shift towards greater gender inclusivity in the political landscape especially after the hype over passage of the Women\u2019s Reservation Bill, Aftab said.<\/div>\n
\u201cWhile parties are vocal about empowering women, the lack of women candidates reflects a deeper issue of gender bias within political systems,\u201d noted Dr. Ramaswamy.<\/div>\n
The Lok Sabha polls are being held in seven phases beginning from April 19 and the counting of votes will take place on June 4 for the world\u2019s biggest election exercise.<\/div>\n
The second phase was held on April 26 while other phases are scheduled for May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.<\/div>\n
\n
\"Just
Just 8% Of Women Candidates In First Two Phases Of Lok Sabha Polls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEW DELHI, Apr 28: Women constituted only eight per cent of the total 1,618\u00a0 candidates in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls, with political activists saying it reflects a deeper issue of gender bias and that the talk of empowering them rings hollow. In the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,89,54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-jammu-and-kashmir","category-national","category-political"],"gutentor_comment":0,"yoast_head":"\nJust 8% Of Women Candidates In First Two Phases Of LS Polls<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Women constituted only eight per cent of the total 1,618\u00a0 candidates in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls, with political activists\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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