A two day National Seminar on the theme “Towards a new horizon” held recently under the aegis of Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) came out with nine recommendations, among which, it will “press for inclusion and fielding of women candidates by all the political parties in Nagaland in the forthcoming elections” due in early part of 2008. The proposal to push for inclusion of women in the poll fray is a bold one given that women constitute almost 50% of the State’s population and efforts at nation building would have to take into consideration the role and contribution of women. Much more attention therefore needs to be given for inclusion of women in decision making and their participation at the policy formulation levels. The issue however is whether the demand of the NSCW for fielding of women candidates in the forthcoming elections is the right way to go about ensuring women’s participation in decision making and also whether political parties are ready to give more opportunities to women candidates.
While their exclusion from decision making processes, limited role in institutional politics, and the absence of women legislators in all the 10 State Legislature since Statehood in 1963 remains a fact, the question remains on whether giving party tickets or even one-third reservation would properly address the issue of Naga women’s marginalization from decision making processes. While it may bring about a quantitative jump in the proportion of women in legislatures or municipal bodies, will it also lead to the improved quality of governance in these bodies? One may simply end up feminizing crime and corruption if women remain content to play the rules set by men already in power rather than working to change them in ways that will make our governing structures more democratic. Likewise, the proposal made in good intention by the NSCW ignores the ground realities since women would not be able to contest a fair election keeping in mind the growing nexus between politics-crime-muscle power-gun culture and violence.
A sudden change in the status of woman in society cannot be brought about by giving them party tickets. That there are only a few women legislators in the United States Congress and in the UK, the mother of all Parliaments, does not imply that women of these countries are not empowered. The right way to go about would be through empowerment within political parties and not necessarily jumping into the poll fray. This does not mean that women cannot contest elections. But for women empowerment in elective bodies to succeed in the long run, their representation within parties must first significantly increase. This has to emerge out of the political process itself. The present base of politically active women in our society is marginal and almost non-existent. The biggest challenge before political parties and also women’s organization is to expand this political base. This calls for supportive action at the familial and societal levels. It has been the universal experience of women who wish to participate outside the traditional household that they face discouragement and even active resistance from the male dominated society. For this, there is the need for attitudinal change to realize the need of creating equal opportunities for both men and women in our political landscape.
