Women Leadership in Madhya Pradesh :

The Madhya Pradesh government has done a commendable work by politically empowering the women by providing 50 percent reservation to women in local civic bodies, but this reservation did not come easily and the women had to wait for long period for this to happen.

Madhya pradesh was pioneer state in implementing local self-governance after the 73rd and 74th amendments were made to the Indian constitution in 1993. But is the impact of this process visible at ground level in the remote and rural parts of the country. The state faces a number of challenges regarding leadership of women – whether the leadership is at the level of political parties, administrative posts or at municipalities or panchayat level. There are big claims and some efforts towards empowerment of women in state, but the ground reality is totally opposite. Even 13 years after implementation of local self-governance system, women have to do a lot of struggle to maintain their dignity in the system. The biggest reason for this struggle is their being illiterate and uneducated.

The disparity in education starts right at primary level, the reasons being social, political and economic. Keeping the girl children deprived of education as they are `others' property', keeping them at home to take care of younger siblings, not prioritizing girls as boys are considered support for old age and mainly politicians and policy makers not giving enough encouragement to women's education to maintain the patriarchal form of society.

Women in Local Self Government : It has been 13 years since women got 33 percent reservation in self-governance, but the sincerity and far sightedness with which the policy needed to be implemented could not be done. The widespread administrative sensitiveness and deep commitment irrespective of political affiliations required to bring women truly forward in all spheres of society seems to be lacking. Day after day, several announcements for welfare and provision of equality of women are made, but the understanding and sensitivity to change the societal system are unfortunately lacking. The use of section 40 to remove women from their posts in panchayats is a matter of deep worry.

In the next panchayat election, women would be seen undertaking good governance in local bodies taking the help of the 50 per cent reservation policy. The dream would change into reality, but we would have to make such efforts that could help in looking at the system of society with new perspective, help in breaking the feudal and caste-based system and provide equal opportunities to women to develop their abilities and skills in a sensitive administrative set-up.

Women in Commissions : In the state commissions have been established in the state for social justice and development equity mainly have men in position of power. Out of eleven commissions established by the Madhya Pradesh Government ten are occupied by men. Women commission is the only one in which has women at the post of president and members. May be the reason is that since this commission is concerned with women that is why there is provision of appointing women only. Madhya Pradesh state human right commission role is majorily on protection of human rights. Madhya Pradesh is one of the three states where the cases of violation of women rights are the maximum, but in MP it always has been male who had headed the human rights commission. Similarly Madhya Pradesh’s State Schedule Caste & Tribes is also headed by male chairperson.

Universities of Madhya Pradesh :  Recently a use and importance of women study centre was under scanner and it was decided to close the centre. Affiliated to Barkhatullah University, the role and importance of this women center was not felt by leadership of the University. May be it will be surprising fact to find out that that the training, education and research on the women issues will be the least in the state universities. Education of women here means home science and maternal health. It is important to point out here that out of 12 universities, situated in MP, no University has women vice-chancellor or registrars, (even the name of these posts reflect gender bias). Do the policy makers think that universities under leadership of women will not be able to do play its role effectively or there are no women in the state who are able to its role as a vice-chancellor?

In the power and as public representative – It is true that there is major fight for gender equity is in area of political representation. In Panchayats they have got equal posts but in State assembly and parliament, they still remain out numbered. Only 18 members of legislative assembly are there in the state assembly to represent 3.25 crores women of the state. In lok sabha out of 29 seats, three are with women members and in rajya sabha out of 11 seats from the state three are women. For almost half population gets not even 10 percent representation probably our political mindset are not wiling to give more. In Madhya Pradesh State Ministers out of 30 ministers only two are women and both of them are in women and child development department. Not only government but even our society has a mindset that more serious should not given to women.

Women in State Business and Development Corporations : In past few years somehow state’s development is being linked only to investment and construction. Government has willingly accepted to the principal of privatization. If we just total the proclamations made by the Chief Minister on the expected investment in the state, 2 lakhs and 76 thousand crore is almost ready to b invested in the state. To manage these resources there are six corporations. In these six corporations there is not a single woman on the post of president or secretary or commissioner. We may not have long to wait when we will see that women are completely left out of the this developmental process while we still be telling stories of Indira Nooyi to our children. When will the day comes when women naturally will be considered a leader.  In the same way out of 11 departments and 8 cooperatives have male leadership.

                     It is clear in this scenario that in Madhya Pradesh women are represented at two lower levels but in when it comes to leadership where important decisions are made preference is still not given to women. Environment for women reservation in special to ordinary corporations or boards to commissions established for protection of various rights has still not being built. Also women wanting or in need of justice are getting disappointed due to lack of representation of women. The call for women empowerment is most vital today, but there is glass ceiling under the corridors of power that there is possibility of women reaching out to highest level of representation but they are not allowed to break that glass ceiling.