The recent election in India has led to the continuation of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the centre yet again. However, a concerning development accompanying this political outcome is the reduced number of women elected to the Lok Sabha.
The 17th Lok Sabha had a total of 8,337 candidates contesting and only 797 were women with 78 being elected and anchoring prominent portfolios such as Nirmala Sitharaman— Minister of Finance.
Interestingly, this number is below the 33 per cent target of the Women’s Reservation Bill. Notably, the total number of women candidates grew by 10 per cent from 720 in 2019, however, their share among total candidates increased marginally to 9.5 per cent in 2024 from 9 per cent in 2019.
Despite increasing advocacy for gender equality— "Nari Shakti", a term popularised by PM Modi, the representation of women in the lower house of Parliament raises critical questions about its potential impact on India’s economic growth and societal progress.
Over time, several studies have shown that women legislators often prioritise issues such as healthcare, education and welfare, which are essential for long-term economic development. BW Businessworld spoke to female leaders from the industry and they noted that the decrease in female representation could result in these areas receiving less attention, potentially stalling social advancements that contribute to economic resilience.
"This shift in political representation could have far-reaching implications," said Prerna Kalra, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Daalchini Technologies. She added, "The potential decline in this already modest representation is alarming and it hints at a step back in the progress towards gender equality in political representation."
In the 2024 elections, political parties' rhetoric on women's reservation has not translated into action. Despite promises, most parties fielded fewer female candidates, reflecting a disconnect between their pledges and practices. Analysts argue this failure stems from entrenched patriarchal norms and the strategic prioritisation of winnable seats. Critics also point to the absence of internal party reforms to promote women's leadership.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which emerged as the largest single party in the elections fielded women candidates for only 16 per cent of its total slots, with 31 of them securing victories. Rahul Gandhi led the Indian National Congress (INC) and nominated women for 13 per cent of its positions, resulting in 13 winners. Some parties such as Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) did not nominate any women candidates.
While citing an example, Smita Roy, Co-founder and Managing Trustee, Peepal Tree Foundation revealed that she knows many women who have been with political parties serving for the last 35 to 40 years. They are in every rally, helping common people throughout the year and yet never given tickets. "So, there is general discrimination and we need to work on women's literacy," she added.
"Male-dominated parliaments might unintentionally create policies that reflect gender biases or overlook the specific barriers women face. Also, female parliamentarians frequently have strong connections with grassroots organisations and can leverage these relationships to implement effective policies," said Roy.
Women's Reservation Bill To Help?
Introduced in Lok Sabha on 19 September 2023, the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 aims to reserve one-third of the seats in Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for female political leaders. The reservation for women will come into effect following the first census conducted after the enactment of the new bill. The last census took place in 2011 and the 2021 census has been delayed by three years under the Modi government. Once the next census is completed, seats will be reserved for women based on its results through a process called delimitation. This reservation will be in place for 15 years.
"The introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill has most certainly laid a strong foundation for us to address this challenge. But it may not suffice as a holistic solution to the problem. The truth remains that parties will field candidates that can win elections. Therefore, the goal should be to create a strong pipeline of women leaders in the coming 4 years, that are adequately mentored and supported to take on roles to lead from the forefront, in the next Lok Sabha elections," said Pooja Sharma Goyal, CEO of The Udaiti Foundation.
The surge in women voters in India to almost 66 per cent, culminating in the closure of the gender gap in voter turnout by the 2024 election. Despite this notable achievement, the representation of women in the 18th Lok Sabha saw a decrease highlighting a stark contrast.
"The narrowing gender gap in voter turnout signifies a remarkable progression in women's political engagement, reflecting their growing awareness and participation in the democratic process. However, the persistent underrepresentation of women in Parliament reveals systemic barriers that hinder their full participation in decision-making roles," said Goyal.
To bridge this gap, Goyal added that political parties must move beyond tokenistic gestures and prioritise the empowerment of women within their structures. By fostering an inclusive political environment that values and amplifies women's voices, India can realise its potential for equitable governance and sustainable development.
Lack Of Awareness
In a shocking development, about 95 per cent of Indian women are unaware of existing government financial schemes or initiatives to leverage their business, according to a survey report by the Bharat Women Aspiration Index (BWAI). The report mentioned that this indicates women are turning to the informal sector for access to credit. About 52 per cent of women entrepreneurs have access to financial credit, indicating that one in two entrepreneurs has access to finance, while 47 per cent said they face challenges.
Interestingly, about 80 per cent of women agree that tailored financial programmes can make their entrepreneurial journey easy. Around 63 per cent of women claim to have access to mentorship to guide them in their businesses.
"This dearth of consciousness could be attributed, at least in part, to the limited representation of females in Parliament. Female parliamentarians often advocate for policies and programs that are specifically designed to address the requirements and interests of women, including awareness campaigns for government initiatives. With a diminished female presence in the Parliament, there may be less emphasis on such campaigns, which may lead to a lack of awareness among the female population," said Kalra.
While talking about the report data, Roy stated females often struggle to find new financial schemes and initiatives. Not only having a portal that has all the latest information related to government schemes and initiatives is important, but we need to have them in all possible languages. "Unfortunately, even if such a portal existed there has been no marketing or advertising of such portals at all," she added.
According to the experts, women in rural areas may feel that their specific needs and challenges are not fully understood or addressed if their representation in parliament is minimal. Diverse representation ensures that policies are inclusive and consider the needs of different demographic groups. Fewer women can lead to policies that do not adequately support women entrepreneurs.
With women comprising only 13 per cent of Members of Parliament, there looms a risk of neglecting the distinct challenges faced by rural women, who make up approximately 48 per cent of India's population residing in rural regions.
"Their voices are pivotal in crafting policies tailored to address rural-specific hurdles, such as access to resources, education, and cultural norms, crucial for fostering inclusive economic growth. With inadequate representation, there's a palpable risk of policy blind spots, hindering effective implementation and support for women-owned businesses, thereby impeding holistic development in rural communities," said Sharma.
A study on digital access by Dalberg and Omidyar Network indicates that over 225 million Indians remain digitally dark. This number comprises half of all low-income women and two-thirds of individuals above the age of 40 in India. The digital divide in rural India becomes even more pronounced with only 25 per cent of rural women having access to the internet as compared to 49 per cent of rural men.
"With even half of these women becoming connected and beginning to benefit from being online, access to information can boost women entrepreneurship in rural areas and significantly impact the overall economy," Sharma stated.
When young girls see women in positions of political leadership, it expands their perceptions of what is achievable for them in society. A study by Lori Beaman, Esther Duflo, Rohini Pande and Petia Topalova showed that villages where leadership positions for women were reserved in village councils, demonstrated a 32 per cent closure in the gender gap of aspirations in adolescents, a complete erasure in the gender gap of educational attainment and girls spending lesser time on household chores - through two election cycles.
The study titled, 'Female Leadership Raises Aspirations and Educational Attainment for Girls: A Policy Experiment in India' used 8,453 surveys of adolescents aged 11 to 15 in 495 villages in India. "The political representation of women has a significant impact on young girls' aspirations and career goals. Seeing women in leadership roles can inspire the growing girls to believe in their potential and aspire to similar designations," stated Daalchini Technologies' Kalra.
The underrepresentation of women in the new Lok Sabha may thus have far-reaching consequences, not just for gender parity but also for the broader economic trajectory of the nation. The extent to which this gender imbalance will affect India’s economic growth remains to be seen, but it highlights the need for continued efforts to promote gender inclusivity in political spheres.
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