Women Empowerment at Local Level: A Prerequisite for Deepening of Democracy

Abstract

The paper attempts to understand the necessity to empower women at the grassroots level in order to make the democracy take deeper roots in India. For this to happen, women participation in the local bodies i.e., the panchayati raj institutions is necessary. Panchayati raj institutions are the lowest in the pyramid of power structures and grounded with direct access to the people at village and ward level. Focusing on the development of the panchayati raj institutions with a special focus on the participation of women in the political process can be a bottom-up approach that will help the women to come out of the clutches of patriarchy and make the democratic process participatory in nature. To make this bottom-up, participatory approach possible, India has made many legislations in an incremental manner in favour of panchayati raj institutions, including reserving seats to women. This paper tracks down the changes that have been made to make the panchayati raj institutions democratic – with the participation of women. The paper focusses on amendments made to the constitution of India and other legislations made by various state governments in order to strengthen the local bodies. This article also discusses the expanding role of women in the local bodies corresponding to the importance that the local bodies have gained over a period of time.