Context: The 18th Lok Sabha will have 74 women Members of Parliament (MP), a slight decrease from 2019 when 78 women were elected.

Key highlights

• India’s Lok Sabha (the Lower House of Parliament) has seen the election of 74 women Members of Parliament (MPs) in the most recent election year.

• This number, while notable, is four fewer than the 78 women elected in 2019 but significantly higher than the 22 women MPs in India’s first general elections in 1952.

• Despite these gains, women still only represent 13.63% of the total elected members, falling short of the 33% reservation that will be implemented following the next delimitation exercise.

Slow Change

• Over the decades, the gender composition of the Lok Sabha has displayed a gradual but inconsistent trend toward greater women’s representation. In the first Lok Sabha of 1952, women constituted a mere 4.41% of the body.

• This percentage rose to over 6% in the 1962 elections but subsequently fell below 4% by 1971, despite the tenure of Indira Gandhi, India’s first and only female Prime Minister at that time.

• Since the 1970s, there has been a slow but steady increase in the proportion of women MPs, with occasional fluctuations. The representation of women crossed the 10% threshold in 2009 and reached its peak at 14.36% in 2019.

• However, India still trails behind several other countries, such as South Africa (46%), the UK (35%), and the US (29%), in terms of women’s representation in parliament.

• The 74 women MPs elected in 2024 come from 14 different political parties. 

New Faces, Younger Representatives

• Of the 74 women MPs elected in 2024, 43 are first-time MPs, including Misa Bharti of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), who is serving her first term in the Lok Sabha.

• This influx of newcomers (59%) is slightly higher than the overall percentage of new MPs in the House (52%). The average experience of women MPs is 0.76 terms, indicating that many are new to the parliamentary system.

• Furthermore, women MPs have an average age of 50 years, younger than the overall average age of 56 years in the Lok Sabha. Educationally, 78% of the women MPs have completed their undergraduate studies, comparable to their male counterparts.

Candidates’ Composition

• In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, women comprised about 10% of the total 8,360 candidates. This figure marks a significant increase from 3% in 1957 and is the first time the proportion of women candidates has reached double digits.

• The BJP fielded 16% women candidates, and the Congress fielded 13%, both of which are above the overall average.

• This increase in the number of female candidates reflects a growing recognition of the need for greater gender parity in political representation, although there is still considerable room for improvement.

Challenges in Women’s Representation in National and State Legislatures

• Societal prejudices, a male-dominated political party structure, family obligations, resource scarcity, and various structural hindrances all impede greater participation among women as contestants and winners in parliamentary or state assembly elections.  

• Election campaigns in India are extremely demanding and time-consuming. Women politicians, with family commitments and the responsibilities of child care, often find it difficult to fully participate.  

• Women politicians have been constantly subjected to humiliation, inappropriate comments, abuse and threats of abuse, making participation and contesting elections extremely challenging. Financing is also an obstacle as many women are financially dependent on their families.  

• There is a general perception that women should be preferred for “soft” ministries like Social Welfare, Culture, Women and Child Development.  

Reasons for low women representations

• Gender conditioning: Women may lack political ambition due to factors like less encouragement to run for office, self-doubt about qualifications, reluctance towards competition, fear of ‘big politics’, and family considerations.

• Patriarchal society: Gender disparities, sexual division of labour, cultural and social expectations, and illiteracy hinder women’s participation in politics.

• Gatekeepers: Party leaders may show bias in promoting male candidates over female candidates, affecting the selection process and hindering women’s chances of election.

• Lack of political education, growth in criminalization, and corruption further contribute to the underrepresentation of women in politics.

• Structural Disadvantages: Election campaigns are expensive, time-consuming, and fraught with issues like inappropriate commenting, hate speeches, abusive threats, and use of muscle power, which disproportionately affect women candidates.

Benefits of High Representation of Women in Legislature

• Focus on gender issues: Stronger attention to women’s concerns and implementation of women-sensitive policies.

• Gender equality: Essential for genuine democracy and ensuring women’s interests are on government agendas.

• Accountability: Direct engagement leads to better representation and accountability for women.

• Gender-sensitive governance: Promotes reforms for gender equality in public policy.

• Encourage inclusive initiatives: Supports programs and subsidies to enhance women’s decision-making.

• Change stereotypes: Collaboration with media to portray women as effective politicians, challenging stereotypes.

Steps Taken for Increasing Women’s Political Representation

• Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023: Amends the Constitution to reserve one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women.

• Constitutional Amendments: The 73rd and 74th Amendments reserve one-third of seats in Panchayats and Municipalities for women.

• SDG Target 5.5: India pledged to achieve women’s full and effective participation at all levels of decision-making in politics and public life.

• Constitutional Measures: Articles 14, 15, 46, and 243D ensure equality, protection against social injustice, and reservation of seats for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions.

• Legislative Initiatives: Establishment of the Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women and gender-neutral rules in the Lok Sabha.

• International Commitments: Agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Beijing Platform for Action emphasize enhancing women’s political representation globally.

Suggestions for Enhancing Women’s Representation in Legislatures

• Implement Quotas: Establish clear, well-structured regulations with effective enforcement mechanisms to increase female representation. Quotas can significantly boost women’s presence in parliament.

• Combat Violence: Address psychological and physical violence against women in politics by establishing cross-party working groups, developing policies to combat sexism and harassment, and creating a fair complaints system.

• Mentorship Programs: Provide mentorship opportunities for women politicians to connect with experienced counterparts, enabling them to gain valuable insights and leadership skills.

• Media Participation: Increase women’s participation in media by educating journalists, addressing bias, and monitoring press coverage to promote fair representation of women in politics.

• Women’s Caucuses: Support women’s parliamentary caucuses to foster gender equality legislation and policy agendas, amplifying women’s voices and influence in parliament.