Project Status Report

Project Status Report Name: ShreyaSom Institute: CLC,DU Mentor Name: Prof NishigandaBhuyan Institute: IIM C Presentation Date: 27.7.2012

Project Title Effects of women reservation in Panchayats : Realities, Myths, Learnings & Suggestions

Contents • Project Overview What is the project about? Goals and Objectives Scope of the project • Your approach towards the project • Field visits and Mentor Discussion • Key Findings • Results and Discussions • Recommendations, their scope and Flow chart (Strategy) for Implementation • Suggestions for future work

Project Overview • What is the project about? • Project Topic: Effects of women reservation in Panchayats – realities, myths , learnings and suggestions. • As the name suggests it deals with the detailed study of the Panchayati Raj System in India starting from the ancient times till their proper evolution in modern times and also the evolving role of women from ancient to modern times • The report of various committees institutionalizing the Panchayti Raj System and their suggestions with regard to special reservation of these women in local bodies, & Finally the 73rd amendment to theConstitution • Field studies and literature survey to know the real scenario of these reservations and suggest improvements in the same.

Goals and Objectives • The objective of the project is to find out the impact of these reservations, the role of women before and after the provision of reservations, current status and plausible solutions and improvements • To study the actual law passed, government policies and loopholes in the same • To study the factors acting as impediments for the implementation of policies • To study the need for reservation for women • To study the obstacles and hurdles faced by women when such reservation policies are put into use • To study the various capacity building measures by Government and NGOs to effectively execute such government policies

Scope of the project • Understand whether there is any need for such reservation policies • Understand if the Elected Women Representatives are really the decision making bodies in these Panchayats or are mere token representatives • Analyse the literacy rate amongst women in villages and if the lack of same becomes a setback in the performance of their role in the Panchayats • Understand if education of women will pose a solution to the problem or a change in the attitude and perception of women is more important • Understand the evolution of empowered woman representatives and whether in the process they are empowering other women in their area • Study the administrative set ups outside India and the role of women in the same • Study whether increase in quantitative reservation ensures qualitative results • Formulate suggestions to overcome such problems which will lead to effective implementation

Approach Towards the Project • Read up on literature pertaining to the background of Panchayati Raj Systems • Read up on literature pertaining to the need for reservation for women • Look up on statistical data • Field visits & interviews

Key Findings • When reservations were first introduced women were merely “proxy” candidates giving rise to concepts like “patipradhans” & “SarpanchPatis” • The presence in meetings were low and often even if they were present were rarely allowed to raise any issues in the meetings • But gradually women started to raise their voice and started acting on their own refusing to act as dummy candidates • Women’s choice of developmental work differed from men as they concentrated more on improving things related to women like water, child and women healthcare, building roads etc • The caste of the candidates also mattered while developmental work • Experience and response of women members were not uniform throughout India • A survey carried out by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and AC Nielson in 2008 found out that Majority of the EWRs perceived an enhancement in in their personal effectiveness and image after being elected

What does government statistics say? • (i) Four-fifths of all the representatives got elected from reserved seats and reservation emerged as an important motivator (43%) for contesting the first election. Prior association with any form of politics was low, and for most women the act of contesting the first election signaled their entry into active politics. • (ii) 95% EWRs felt that they could freely raise issues during Gram Sabha meetings. • (iii) A sizeable proportion of Elected Women Representatives perceived an enhancement in their self-esteem (79%), confidence (81%) and decision-making abilities (74%). Also becoming a Pradhans or Ward Member augments respect within the family (67%) as well as in the community at large (82%) as more attention is paid to them when they take up local issues with the concerned officials. • (iv) Two-third of the elected representatives reported that their interaction with line Departments and parallel bodies had increased progressively over time. • (v) 60% women representatives mentioned that they did not experience gender-based discrimination in the Panchayats and being ignored. • (vi) Female representatives reported getting recognition from their peers and community for the work done by them.

Capacity Building measures by Government • Creation of self help groups under Swarnajayanti Gram SwarojgarYojana (SGSY) . Under the Livelihoods Improvement Project in Himalayas, women self-help group members in Uttarakhand were even elected as gram pradhans (heads of the local governments at the village or small town level) in 170 out of 669 panchayatsin villages. In those operations, the country programme evaluation also found unequivocal advances in the self-confidence and assertiveness of self-help group members. • Capacity Building of Elected Women Representatives and Functionaries of Panchayati Raj Institutions by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), Government of India and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India, from 2003 -2008. • PanchayatMahilaEvamYuvaShaktiAbhiyan (PMEYSA) launched during the 11th Five Year Plan • Rashtriya Gram SwarajYojana (RGSY) ( Directed at ER as a whole)

Key Findings (Field Visits) • The menace of “proxy” candidates is rampant in the villages around Kanpur. The authorities are fully conversant with the situation but they are nothing but helpless observers • Its only women who have a strong financial and educational background act on their as Mahilapradhans or whose husbands are engaged in meaningful employment themselves • The status of other women in villages has been the same despite having a woman as the pradhan. However, there are exceptions but nothing extra ordinary. The developmental work is limited to constructing roads and nalas.The only women oriented activity undertaken is facilitating pension to widows • In some villages , the attitude towards women has not changed much • The villagers are also very reluctant and suffer from a sense of ennui to change the situation fearing social boycott

Comparative study of administrative systems of Sri Lanka,India,Pakistan,Nepal,Bangladesh • Statutory Rights • All have statutory right to equality and all have signed CEDAW • All except Sri Lanka have a quota of reserved seats for women in local govt. • Bangladesh has a quota for women in the civil service • National and local Policies and Progs • Some local govts provide training / orientation programmes to increase women’s participation; • Pakistan has a Local Government Plan 2000 for devolving power. • Role of NGOs • NGOs in all countries have taken strong role in advocating women’s involvement • Training • Provided by NGOs, political parties and training institutions; e.g. All India Inst. Of Local Self-government; Pakistan’s Aurat Foundation has initiated ‘Citizen’s Campaign for Women’s Representation in Local Government’; and Nepal has an Urban Development Training Centre

Comparative study of administrative systems of China, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand • Statutory Rights • All have basic laws on political and civil rights. All have signed CEDAW. • National policies and programmes • All have nat. progseg: China – a Prog. For the Development of Chinese women; • Vietnam – Politburo document has goal to increase numbers of women; Japan – Basic Law for a Gender-Equal Society encourages women’s participation; • Australia and NZ – Women’s Affairs at central govt. level • Local policies and programmes • Aust. & NZ – legislation requires consultation/ encourages participation. • Some provinces in China have set targets for the number of women • Role of NGOs • NGOs strong in all countries, eg All China Women’s Fed.; Vietnam –Nat. Committee for the Advancement of Women; Japan – League of Women Voters and the Ichikawa Fusae Memorial Assoc; Aust. and NZ –

Local Government System • In Vietnam more women successful in elections (26%) than in appointed positions (6%) • In NZ and Australia - longer time of voting and ability to stand for office has eventually led to more women being elected. • Direct election for mayors in NZ – a factor in more women mayors being elected. • Quotas • Not favoured in this area. Some preference for ‘merit based’ system. Some voluntary targets have been set.

Data On Representation of women (2008)

Results and Discussions • The survey conducted in 2008 showed a bright and positive picture regarding the EWRs . However, more needs to be studied about the efficacy of such tall claims • Concerted efforts by Media and capacity building efforts by Govt and NGOs played a big role in motivating the women • However, women still face hurdles while political participation and taking part in private as well public decision making exercises • Since women already have a substantial representation in all the 3 tiers whether there is further need to increase the reservation from !/3rd to ½ of the total no of seats

Reccomendations • Minimum educational qualification of the Candidates should be there • Not only minimum but also maximum age qualification for contesting should be there • Strict checking during filing of nomination papers to weed out dummy candidates • Strict and regular monitoring like surprise visits to the villages should be undertaken by the authorities to curb Proxy candidature and ensure that women candidates act on their own • More effective capacity building measures and better awareness has to be undertaken by the government in collaboration with NGOs and adequate training to be given both pre and post elections. The Ministry of Panchayti Raj has already initiated some schemes for the same.

Awareness of how women can use local government • Funds to help women run for election • Best practice models • Measurements of the impacts of all policies and programmes on women and men • Gender awareness workshops. Citizen awareness of gender, politics and human rights • Self-reliance, self-confidence courses for girls and young women and their potential for decision-making positions in schools

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Project Status Report