Women and Panchayati Raj: A Pre-and Post-Reservation Policy

The role of women in Panchayati Raj has been considered important to strengthen the functioning of the panchayat. The post 73rd Act has empowered the women through reservation policy that is, 33 per cent reservation at all levels of panchayat. It is important to understand that the participation of women is important to address the effective functioning of the panchayat. In fact, one should also take into consideration the factors of political resources and political interest to understand the genderbias in political participation and also the reasons for the consequent under representation of women in the political process. As a social group, women still possess fewer political resources than men do. They have to be engaged in constant battles against a number of social, economic and political obstacles even today.