- It is now crystal clear that the women electorate will essay an extremely important role in deciding the fortunes of the political parties as more and more choose to exercise their franchise at the hustings. It is no longer possible or politically feasible for political leaders to take women, voters, for granted as it used to be not so long ago. All political parties are compelled to extend olive branches to them by not only promising to ease their living standards to a great extent but also offering tangible benefits like LPG gas connections, clean drinking water, decent houses, direct transfer of cash, and not to mention job opportunities – secure and safe working environment, to name just a few.
PC: Rukmini S
- As such, women as a constituency offers a decisive edge in electoral contests. No wonder, this situation has led to enticing welfare policies and poll promises specifically targeted to address women’s needs and subsequent analyses of the impact of these. Make no mistake, welfare has limitations as it is a safety net, not a tool to empower women. Ideally speaking, empowerment should come with jobs, which are often the gateway to financial security and a sense of self-worth, and political power. Unfortunately, the safety scenario for the working women in our country is far from being termed as satisfactory as the deeply entrenched male bias continues to stymie the other gender from gaining the desired traction.
- Understandably, there are signs that political parties are now beginning to move beyond targeted welfare schemes to measures that can truly empower women. Against this backdrop, two recent examples on the matter are worth noting. Delhi government is trying to get more women to own and operate public transport through measures such as reserving licenses and joint ownership. In Tamil Nadu, the ruling DMK’s success in urban local body polls led it to appoint women as mayors in 11 of the 20 corporations, including Chennai. A welcome move indeed.
PC: Aspirant Forum
- Nonetheless, as important as these measures are they are not foundational to ensure desired changes. More needs to be done though. The precondition in empowering women is to impart confidence that they can access public spaces without fear. However, data available shows a strong correlation between perceptions of safety and women’s participation in the workforce. The government of India’s employment data for the last full pre-pandemic year, 2018-19 showed that 53.6% of the population in the 15-59 age group was in the job market. The discrepancy between women and men was stark. A mere 26.5% of the women were in the labor force as compared to 80.3% of the men.
- It’s the regional variation that foregrounds the safety factor. Southern states, Goa, Maharashtra, HP, Chhattisgarh, and Sikkim were among states with a relatively high percentage of women in the workforce. Among states trailing the national average were UP, Bihar, West Bengal, and Delhi. Thus, there are other reasons why so few women look for work. But unsafe public spaces are the most important. Apart from wooing the women voters, the political leaders and authorities should usher in all mechanism that ensures a safe and secure working environment is provisioned for women to realize their true potential. Mind you, the nation’s growth trajectory will be immensely benefited from this move.
