Number of women in Indian parliament lower than global average: UN
Friday October 12, 2012 07:53:41 PM,
IANS
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New Delhi: India has
much to celebrate with over one million elected women
representatives in local self-governments, but the number of women
in parliament is lower than the global average, a UN official
said.
UN Under-Secretary General and UNDP Associate Administrator,
Rebeca Grynspan said: "There is much to be celebrated in India.
There are over one million elected women representatives in local
self-governments thanks to mandatory quotas ranging from 33 to 50
percent. Yet there are only around 11 percent women in Parliament
lower than the global average of 20 percent, still far from the 30
percent target set at Beijing."
The UNDP has called for the formation of a caucus of women
political leaders across party lines to enhance women's
participation within political parties and to advocate for the
Women's Reservation Bill as a collective voice, said a statement
here Friday.
The UNDP said that for affirmative action to happen - be it quotas
in parliament or in political parties - mobilization of women
around an integrated development agenda is critical. This was one
of the key recommendations that emerged from the Roundtable on
Women's Participation in Politics organised by the United Nations
Development Programme.
Grynspan said: "More diverse participation in politics is not only
good for women but is key for society and a strong democracy."
Ranjana Kumari, president of Women Power Connect and director of
the Centre For Social Research, said that urgent action is needed
on the long pending Women's Reservation Bill.
Participants pointed out that women are held back from entering
politics because of social norms and deeply entrenched patriarchal
mindsets.
Suhasini Ali of the Communist Party of India-Marxist said: "Women
of India are already empowered. All they need is a safe political
environment which provides a level playing field for their
participation."
India ranks 129 out of 147 countries on UNDP's Gender Equality
Index, lower than all South Asian countries except Afghanistan at
141. One of the key factors pulling down India's rank on this
index is the low level of women's representation in Parliament at
just under 11 percent.
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