Women's Manifesto demands equal share
Women across India have prepared their own manifesto as the country gears up for national elections. Public hearings organised by Wada Na Todo Abhiyan in 100 parliamentary constituencies have highlighted their demand for equal participation in workforce and policy planning.
For the political leaders of India, Women’s Day was marked by a call to prioritise the women’s agenda in their election manifestos, as outlined in the Women’s Manifesto developed in consultation with 231,984 people – both men and women – across 100 parliamentary constituencies.
- Participants at the Bhadara hearing/ Photo credit: WNTA
Education for girls enforced by law, enactment of the Women’s Reservation Bill and the stronger implementation of the Domestic Violence Act are three key demands that have emerged recurrently at the local level.
Equally significant are the range of measures that have been proposed to strengthen the economic role and participation of women which reflect a strong claim for their rightful share of the nation’s resources.
Demands in this context include making the accordance of farmer status for women engaged in agriculture, the creation of assets for women a pre-requisite for all developmental programs and enforcing equal participation of women not only as beneficiaries and as decision makers in the committees set up to oversee public programs.
Proposals for increasing women’s participation in the workforce include steps to increase the proportion of women recruited to the police force, education system and the private sector. The need for special programs to support working women has also been raised.
Demands for local infrastructure to promote technical education among women and encourage women athletes through facilities for sports and recreation are heartening as they reflect the changing aspirations of women in villages and small towns of India.
While our political leaders are still struggling to implement the Bill for 33% reservation of seats for women in Parliament, on the ground the overwhelming demand is for no less than half the share of political seats at the national and state level.
The significance of this Manifesto is that each demand has emerged from the local level and therefore reflects the realities and expectations of the people of India. Collectively, these demands present a composite and completely do-able national agenda for women which no political party can afford to ignore.
