Women in Indian society have long been subjected to discrimination because of gender bias in social traditions and practices. This is reflected at every level of government from the top all the way down to local authorities – whether it comes down to the minority of elected female representatives, official gender sensitivity or implementation of rules and laws favouring women.

The women’s movement has long demanded representation in local government so that they can participate in the nation’s political process. Empowerment suggests the idea of women wielding political power. However, women are not sufficiently involved in the development activities that affect their lives. They are exploited in a range of repressive ways. The special needs of women are postponed or put aside as trivial.

In India, the most deep-rooted forms of inequality built into the structure of traditional society are those based on caste and gender. A number of research findings indicate that women are the disadvantaged gender in both urban and rural areas of the country.

The Constitution confers equal rights and opportunities to men and women in the political, economic and social spheres. It also empowers the State to undertake affirmative action in favour of women.

The ratio of women in government at ministerial level is 1 to 10. Despite considerable progress in health and nutrition, the maternal mortality rate remains high, reflecting inadequate awareness of health and hygiene.

The representation of women in Panchayat Raj Institutions – the Indian system of governance whereby decision-making is devolved to the grassroots level – translates the idea of women’s empowerment into reality. But in the panchayats, men far outnumber women.

Women have been campaigning hard on the 73rd Constitutional Amendment which came into effect in 1994 and provides for one-third representation of women in the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).

On the 10th anniversary of Women’s Empowerment Day on 24 April, 2004, that more than 1,500 representatives of elected women panchayat leaders from around the country appealed to the authorities to implement a list of 20 demands. The first was to raise reserved representation for women in the panchayats to 50 percent, and secondly make similar provisions for women in Parliament and the State legislatures.

They also demanded a nationwide network of Panchayat Training Centers for women, and a system of gender reorientation programmes for Members of Parliament, local legislators and officials at every level of government and local administration.

In a study conducted in the Pusa Block of Samstipur District to determine how well panchayat women’s representatives were doing in the State of Bihar, the results were disappointing. Very few of the women representatives were aware of their official functions, powers and duties.

It may be concluded that the women representatives do not have complete awareness about their roles or those of the panchayats with which they serve.

For these institutions to be dynamic and fully geared to socio-economic upliftment, women have to know their rights.

Renu Kumari is the author of a major study, Women’s Empowerment through Panchayati Raj Institutions – a study in Pusa Block, Bihar, published by the Rajendra Agricultural University in Bihar.