🚺🗳️ Exciting news! Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 passed in the Lok Sabha of India
The Women’s Reservation Bill “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam” has been passed in Lok Sabha, reserving 33% of seats for women in Parliament and state legislatures.
A historic move towards gender equality and empowering women in politics! 🙌💪
📊 Did you know that women currently make up only 15% of the 17th Lok Sabha?
🙋♀️About the Women’s Reservation Bill [The Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, 2008]
Origin of women reservation in India:
The discourse on women’s reservation in India can be traced back to 1955 when a government appointed committee recommended that 10% of seats in the Lok Sabha and State legislative assemblies should be reserved for women.
However, it was not until the 1980s that the demand for women’s reservations gained momentum.
The National Perspective Plan for Women (1988) recommended that 30% of seats in all elected bodies should be reserved for women.
Key provisions of the Bill:
The Women’s Reservation Bill proposes to reserve 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women.
One third of the total number of seats reserved for SC/ST shall be reserved for women of those groups in the Lok Sabha and the state Legislative Assembly.
Reserved seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in the state or union territory.
Reservation of seats for women shall cease to exist 15 years after the commencement of this Amendment Act.
🗓️ The need for the Women’s Reservation Bill:
Under representation of women: Currently, just 14 per cent of Lok Sabha MPs are women (78 in total). And women make roughly 11 per cent of the Rajya Sabha.
Global comparison: Although the number of women MPs has increased significantly since the first Lok Sabha, it remains much lower in comparison to several other countries.
According to data from PRS, Rwanda (61 per cent), South Africa (43 per cent) and even Bangladesh (21 per cent), are ahead of India in this matter.
India ranks 144 out of 193 countries in the representation of women in Parliament, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s latest report. 🇮🇳
🔄 Current Status:
In 2015, the Report on the Status of Women in India noted that the representation of women in state assemblies and Parliament continues to be dismal.
It noted that decision making positions in political parties have negligible presence of women.
It recommended reserving at least 50% seats for women in local bodies, state legislative assemblies, Parliament, ministerial levels, and all decision-making bodies of the government.
15% of the total members of the 17th Lok Sabha (current one) are women while in state legislative assemblies, women on average constitute 9% of the total members.
The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 was introduced in Lok Sabha on September 19, 2023.
The Bill seeks to reserve one-third of the total number of seats in Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women.🤔🗣️
💬 Key Features of the Bill
Reservation for women:
The Bill reserves one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies, and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
This will also apply to the seats reserved for SCs and STs in Lok Sabha and states legislatures.
Commencement of reservation:
The reservation will be effective after the census conducted after the commencement of this Bill has been published.
Based on the census, delimitation will be undertaken to reserve seats for women.
The reservation will be provided for a period of 15 years.
However, it shall continue till such date as determined by a law made by Parliament.
Rotation of seats: Seats reserved for women will be rotated after each delimitation, as determined by a law made by Parliament.
🌍 It’s not just India — countries worldwide are working to increase female representation.
Nations like Sweden and Norway, where women play a significant role in politics. 🌏✨
🚀 The Women’s Reservation Bill passing Lok Sabha is a momentous step forward, but there’s still a journey ahead.
Let’s stay engaged, informed, and supportive of policies that empower women! 💃🤗
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