INSIGHT: SOUTH ASIA - Bureaucratic obstacles delay implementation of India’s landmark Women’s

OCTOBER 18, 2023 INSIGHT: SOUTH ASIA Bureaucratic obstacles delay implementation of India’s landmark Women’s Reservation Bill THE TAKEAWAY IMPLICATIONS India’s passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill, • Trends in women’s involvement in Indian politics intended to reserve one-third of national and state Political representation among women in India legislative seats for women candidates, has been c. [...] While the current Women’s Reservation Bill orders that one-third of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes IN BRIEF and Scheduled Tribes be reserved for women within • On September 28, the Lok Sabha, the lower house of these communities, critics have pointed out that the India’s parliament, passed the Constitution (128th bill excludes sub-quotas for so-called Other Backward Amendment) Bill, or the Wo. [...] These class • The bill, signed the same day by Indian President groups are categorized as distinct from Scheduled Droupadi Murmu, mandates that one-third of the Castes and Tribes based on specific educational and seats in the national Lok Sabha and Delhi Legislative social disadvantages. [...] The most common possible delays barriers to women’s political participation include Another criticism of the Women’s Reservation Bill is patriarchal taboos and gendered social norms that the census and subsequent delimitation exercise that discourage women’s involvement in decision-making the BJP says must be carried out before the bill comes processes, insignificant financial resources needed to. [...] In response, the president government expenditures towards public health in of the opposition Indian National Congress stated Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, the passing of that if Congress comes to power in 2024, his party new legislation around women’s rights in Argentina, will implement the bill immediately and amend it to and increased investments in public goods such as include reservat.