Role of Women in local governance for the Development of Girls education case study from India YAZALI, Josephine, Professeure associée, Inde at International colloquim on gender and governance(17-19 2009) Mauratius
1. Social fabric of India 2. Journey of a women 3. Gender issues identified 4. Government interventions 5. land mark Constitutional change and its impact 6. conclusion
Social fabric of India based on Caste/community hierarchy-4 categories Religion-4major Languages-184 but govt reco 14 Region/state variations-29states &8 uts Patriachy ideaology-man is head of the family
Ideology An ideology in which men are superior to women and have the right to rule women. This ideology has permeated the social structures of societies throughout India and the world
Journey of a women 1. Parenatal Unwanted syndromes-selective abortion, Battering during pregnancy, Denial of equal rights of life. 2. Infancy Female infanticide, Emotional,and physicalabuse, differential access to food and medical care for girl infants, Denial of equal rights.
3.Childhood Child marriage, Differential access to education, foodand medical care and growth, Child labour forced by parents, Denial of right to have good childhood
Adolescence/ Grown up women Differential access for development, Succumb to family Economic pressures, Sexual abuse & sexual harassment rape, Denial of rights to have respectable life, Second-class citizenship treatment in the work places, Denial in recognition, Denial of professional avenues and growth, Denial of rights to have equal wages.
Womanhood Abuse of women by male society, social discord, Dowry abuse and murder, Partner homicide, Psychological abuse, Sexual abuse; Sexual harassment; rape;, Denial of a right to have respectable life.
Old Age Abuse of widows, Disrespect for divorced and separated, attaching social stigmas, Elder abuse (affects women more than men), Denial of rights to live in safety
Real condition of women in rural India Exclusion Inequality Domination Wide gap between rural and urban women
As a result Low literacy levels(2001 census 54.16,inrural 46% female foeticide(female child unwanted) The village women do not know about women freedom, women liberty, women emancipation etc. the role of female is confined to domestic work and looking after children A boy s education is far more important as it enhances the chances of his being employed early marriage in rural areas
Declining sex ratio of female children Sex Ratio State Year Sex Ratio Children (Under 7 Years) India * 1901 972 -- 1991 927 945 2001 933 927
Government s intervention empowerment of women through decentralization of power Constitutional guarantees to women A quota system in the rural governance in A quota system in the rural governance in this direction felt necessary to make the women confident, awareness of their rights.
The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 A landmark legislation for women all over India 73rd Constitution Amendment Act, which had the landmark provision of reserving not less than one-third of the total number of seats in the local bodies(pris) for women.
Introduction of Reservation (Quota) in local governance i.e.pris-progressive legislation India passed this piece of progressive legislation in 1993 to enable the presence of a critical mass of women in the decentralized decision making process. Quota to women(at lowestadministrative structure i.e.village level) introduced
The quota Not less than one-third (including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every panchayat shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Panchayat( (Article 234 D(3)). Not less than one-third of the total number of offices of Chairpersons in the Panchayats at each level shall be reserved for women (Article 243D(4)). 74th Amendment has similar provisions for Municipalities
1. Impacthigh levelparticipation of rural women in local governance
What panchayat means "Panchayat" literally means assembly (yat) of five (panch) wise and respected elders chosen and accepted by the village community. Traditionally, these assemblies settled disputes between individuals and villages. Modern Indian government has decentralised several administrative functions to the village level, empowering elected gram (village)panchayats.
The Panchayat Raj system(local governance) has a three-tier structure (i) the Village Panchayatas, (ii) the Panchayat Samitis(block level) and (iii) the Zila Parishad(district level).
i) The Village Panchayatt or Gram Panchayat: The village panchayat or the gram Panchayat functions at the Village level. (ii) Panchayat Samiti: The panchayat samiti is the main executive body which operates at the block level. (iii) Zila Parishad: The Zila Parishad functions at the districts level and is responsible for making executing and coordinating the programmes of rural development for entire district
Duties Panchayat System in India basically looks after the upliftment of the Indian villages. Issues like powerlessness, illiteracy, corruption, malnutrition, water, health and hygiene,girls education,woen empowerment etc
CHANGES AND IMPACT
-CHANGES 1. after the 73rd Amendment a majority of women elected to panchayats were illiterate; 2. A large percentage were from lower socio-economic strata; 3. They entered at a comparatively younger age; 4. They are first generation entrants to public/political
Post-73rd Amendment Panchayat elections shattered several myths.. 5. That women are passive and disinterested in political institutions/public life 6. Only the well-to-do, upper strata women will come forward to contest elections 7. Women s political connectivity - only kin of powerful politicians will enter panchayats to keep the seats for them 8. Women are only proxies - namesake members and they do not participate in the panchayats in a real sense
Changes 9. There are new terms in circulation like mem sab/madam showing the altered and enhanced status of women representatives. 10.Engendering politics since village women have access to these institutions.
. 11.Engendering the development process by paying more attention to education, health, and other welfare schemes
12. Domestic violence such as harassment due to dowry, wife beating gets sorted out in the villages. 13. Change of self-perception and thereby change in the status of the girl child. 14. Powerful undercurrents in Indian society in favour of women. 15. Bringing honesty and integrity to public life. 16. More women coming forward to contest panchayat elections
Impact.. 2. Enhancement in their self-esteem, confidence and decision-making abilities 3. Changed the perception of women 4. Increase in women participation in political leadership-evidence of growth of elected women from 2004 to 2009
Impact on functioning of Local self-governance 5. changing governance are evident in the issues they choose to tackle like; water, alcohol abuse, education, health, women self esteem and domestic violence A grassroots revolution is brought
Impact on Education development of the villages 7. active in bringing education to their villages even though they are frequently held hostage by caste politics and quotas 8. Today 98 per cent of India s rural population has access to primary schools within a kilometer of the habitation
measures are called for to help girls to join the schools 9. setting up of girls toilets and providing separate girls schools at upper primary level to counter community resistance to girls studying in co-educational schools 10.. Some schools are residential ones
Reduced the number of dropouts and out of school children 11.studies have shown they have reduced the number of female drop-outs after puberty 12. They bring safe drinking water to the schools and their students. 13.Schools are constructed by the women panchayats
Improved the nutrition 14.Addressing the nutritional needs of the population since women tend to oversee the mid-day meal, public distribution system (PDS), ICDS in a better way
Enabling and Inhibiting Factors Faced by Women and Dalit Members ENABLING FACTORS INHIBITING FACTORS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES High education levels Illiteracy and low educational Prior exposure to outside world levels Initiative and drive Compliance with social Knowledge and understanding restrictions of their roles and Shyness and submissiveness responsibilities Lack of comprehensive Decision-making capacity understanding of their roles Ability to mobilise community and responsibilities participation Caste system Patriarchy Poor economic background
Enabling and Inhibiting Factors Faced by Women and Dalit Members ENABLING FACTORS INHIBITING FACTORS ENVIRONMENT Family and spouse support Male family members/spouses (distribution of household assume the role of sarpanch chore/assistance Caste and gender Support of other panchayat considerations among other members panchayat members Community support and Indifferent attitude of participation in panchayat government officials and activities functionaries Active involvement of Misguidance by the panchayat government officials and secretary in conducting functionaries panchayat activities Presence and support of Apprehension of no-confidence voluntary community motion groups/organisations Party pressure
Problems elected women face at the grassroots 1. Almost all of them are first timers in politics 2. A sizeable number of them are illiterate (except Kerala and West Bengal) 3. Not fully aware of development issues or government programs 4. Many are forced in patriarchal values 5. Male kin take charge of the Panchayats 6. Increasing incidence of violence against elected women 7. More roles, more responsibilities, additional burden
Problems elected women face 2 8. Derogatory references to their lack of capacity 9. Negative attitude of government officials at all levels 10. Character assassination 11. Vacuum in content and methodology of training for women and inclusiveness. 12. Increasing number of no-confidence motions against women panchayat heads
conclusion Improved education levels of the villages and change in the attitude for girls education, drastic reduction in dropouts and out of school children in schools Positive role of women s organisations. Incresed Women activism. Demand for women s representation in State Assemblies, Parliament.
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