CHENNAI: Inadequate number of women contestants is an issue that is raised during every election, but forgotten soon after until the subsequent election. Political parties offer myriad excuses for not fielding enough women and never fail to reiterate their support for swift implementation of 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures.
However, they conveniently ignore the elephant in the room, which is the abysmal representation of women in key party posts, which the parties could address themselves if they are really committed to women’s representation.
The post of district secretary is important and powerful in most political parties. The district secretaries emerge as leaders of respective regions and climb up the ladder. When it comes to women’s representation in these posts, the parties fare poorly.
DMK has 72 district units and AIADMK has 82. However, only one district secretary in each party is a woman. Minister Geetha Jeevan is DMK’s secretary of Thoothukudi North. L Jayasudha, former MLA, is AIADMK’s Tiruvannamalai central district secretary.
BJP has the post of district president and of the 66 district units in TN, the national party has women as presidents in four. Among the eight zonal in-charges, one is a woman. The Congress has 72 district secretaries but none is a woman. In VCK, among the 144 district units, 14 are headed by women, including three non-Dalits.
In Left parties, there is no woman among the 42 district secretaries in CPM and 45 district secretaries in CPI. In NTK, among the 117 district secretaries, 18 are women. NTK, however, is the only party that is fielding 50% women in all general elections.
In the current LS election, the number of women candidates from major political parties is less, barring NTK. Of the 950 candidates in the fray, only 77 are women (including independents).
In the past, AIADMK, under the leadership of J Jayalalithaa, gave women significant space in their party apparatus. In 2010, she appointed 66 women as members of executive committee, which has around 300 members. Five years later, Jaya reconstituted the committee and made 73 women as members. Party sources said similar representation still continues in the executive committee.
U Vasuki, vice president of All India Democratic Women’s Association and central committee member of CPM said, “Three important aspects should be taken into account — elected representation, party structure and what stance the political party takes on gender issues.”
“As far as CPM is concerned, district and taluk committees make important decisions although the position of district secretary is important. In TN, all committees have 20% women. Similarly, when selecting delegates for a party conference, there should be 20% women,” Vasuki said.
Asked if a legislation to ensure 33% reservation for women party posts is needed, Vasuki said it may not be possible since each party has their own constitutions and they are primarily voluntary bodies.”
C Lakshmanan, former associate professor at Madras Institute of Development Studies, said, “There is gender insensitivity towards women among male politicians. Like caste, gender is also a mindset. Sensitisation about the need for women to take part in politics should be inculcated in all levels of party functionaries, from top to bottom,” Lakshman said.
“When political functionaries ill-treat women, the leaders of the respective parties should openly censure them. Political parties’ supporters make sexist remarks against women who express their views boldly,” he added.
(With inputs from S Kumaresan @ Chennai)