We ask a cross-section of people what they feel about women and elections 2004. Do women really matter in the politics of the polls? Are men ready to accept women as leaders of their country? Are women a threat to their politics? Has our politics always been hierarchical in favour of the male gender? And more...
Rukmini
Bhaya
Nair, writer
"Woman do not occupy the same position as men in India. In general women face many prejudices, so they often find they are mere surrogates for men. A lot of women who stand in Indian politics will be accepted by the general public on the basis that the message she conveys is for a man. But, if a female wants to stand as a candidate in her own right, than she will find it a lot harder to get accepted into the political arena, especially by her male counterparts. Females have a lot of difficulty when it comes to economics, because economics is power and that is where they are lacking."
(Nair is a writer of repute who has received accolades across the world for her philosophical book "Narrative Gravity: Conversation, Cognition, Culture". She is a Professor of Linguistics and English at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India)
(Nair is a writer of repute who has received accolades across the world for her philosophical book "Narrative Gravity: Conversation, Cognition, Culture". She is a Professor of Linguistics and English at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India)
Nandita
Das, Actress
"Stronger representation of women will give us a stronger voice to raise issues of concern-not only about women and children, but about society at large. As women are essentially non-violent, their presence will move the society towards a more peaceful coexistence."
(Das is a renowned actress from India, who has received international awards and accolades for her sensitive performance in Bhaanwar (2000) and Aamar Bhuvan (2000).
Bhartendra Singh Paswan, Politician
Are females assigned softer Cabinet Minister portfolios because men are unwilling to have females occupy positions above them?
"I'm not sure whether the 'soft' portfolio thing is really there. The 'hard' ones might be Defence, Home, External Affairs and Finance and Commerce, but if if you see the other portfolios, it represents a fair cross section. Yes, men do have reservations about reporting to a woman, but over the last 37 years I have noticed a mellowing of attitudes towards the acceptance of females."
(He is minister of Social Justice and Empowerment)
Yogendra
Yadav, Fellow, CSDS
How willing is the male public of India to vote for a female leader, and, if elected, would it be difficult for her to relate to their needs?
"I do not think there is any evidence in the voting behavior of the Indian electors in the last 50 years to suggest that the voters discriminate against women politicians. They are quite willing to vote for women candidates and women leaders.
The problem lies with the male mafia that dominates all the parties at various levels and does not allow women to enter and carry out political work in a dignified way.
In the same way, I do not think women leaders suffer from any special handicap in representing men, more than the handicap faced by thousands of men who represent crores of women."
(Fellow, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, New Delhi. He writes on political theory, Indian politics, and has directed the election-related surveys carried out by CSDS.)
Tara Sinha, advertising guru
"There have been women activists in India for many years and, although people find this hard to believe, it is easier for females to be placed in higher positions here than in places like US. Indian women can push themselves that little bit further and are therefore as good as men, if not better, at relating to the needs of men. And eventually men will realise this and see that females can do for them what they always thought only a man could."
(An old Advertising hand and chairperson of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi, India)
Dr. Syeda Hameed, social activist
"If people look at female parliamentarians of the past they haven't really worked for gender.
If a woman is elected men will respect her because she builds roads and she tried to prove herself.
The new infusion of women in India means they are trying to break down the gender barriers.
They might not be there yet but they are certainly trying."
(A stalwart of women?s movement in India, Syeda campaign for women's rights and also spends time lecturing on this issue)
Sanjay Parikh, Lawyer
What action can females take to secure a legislation for adequate representation in Parliament?
"If women want to contest on par with men, they do need to do so away from the concept of 'reservation'. This is only an aid, but what females need is real empowerment with a good set of candidates who can compete to the fullest. When people realise this it will automatically give them a good chance of securing legislation. Until then, the Women's Reservation Bill is a step in the right direction. Maybe in a few years their voice will be heard.
(He has practiced in the Supreme Court since 1982, passing important
legislations like giving mothers the 'natural guardian' right.)
Pralay Kanungom, Professor
Are women in Politics discriminated against solely because of their gender?
"Women are not discriminated against because of gender. People need to realise that females have excellent crowd pulling capacity, so if there is any discrimination, it is not because of them being women."
(Associate Head Professor of Political Science Department, Jawarlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. He has been an active campaigner for Hindu rights and has given lectures on politics all around India.)
(Compiled by Navta Vij)