women's quota in parliament will it improve to government

Does a quota system enhance women’s participation in weak democracies? One of the key questions addressed in the literature about gender and politics is why there should be more women in politics and to what extent women’s interests are best represented by women.

Why women in politics?

The arguments in favour of increasing women’s participation in politics rely on 3 principles.(by Philips, 1991).

Firstly, on democratic justice,

secondly, on resource utilisation

and thirdly, on interest representation.

The notion of basic justice relies on the notion that women should be included in the political realm, indeed given the overarching significance of politics it is unfair to note that women are not actively engaged in it. Additionally, as women are integrated into more aspects of business and professional life, it seems logical that women should take up their rightful share of political positions. The second principle argues that women would bring a different set of values, experiences and expertise to politics, thereby enriching political life. Finally, the most radical version of this argument states that women and men are in conflict and that it is nonsense to see women as represented by men.

The Quota Debate

the need for a quota system stems from the lack of opportunities for women to perform their potential capabilities. If women do have the capabilities and the power to choose, a quota system is not needed. In favour of a quota scheme implementation are arguments such as the belief that it is the most effective way of translating legal equality between men and women into de facto equality by guaranteeing women’s presence in leadership in the immediate term . It has also been considered as a starting point that could balance women’s participation in various fields because women leaders also function as role models for other women, and serve as evidence that society is inclusive and egalitarian.

Opponents of quotas, who include both men and women, argue that they are discriminatory and that will elevate under-qualified women to power, stigmatize beneficiaries, and that above all, they are unnecessary.

There are also fears that the introduction of a women’s quota will prompt other groups –ethnic minorities, homosexuals, farmers, etc. to demand their own quota.

Despite these criticisms, improved women’s structural position will help to erode discriminatory barriers and will bring about cultural changes in the very long term. In order to reform inherent structures created during the era when discrimination existed, temporary measures as the quota systems are required . Therefore, in order to change the attitude towards women and for women to participate in high level decision making positions in various disciplines, including politics and economics, a new environment has to be formulated so as to allow adequate numbers of women to attain desirable goals.

From above, it can be said that countries which are implementing quotas, are looking for two main objectives. On the one hand, to influence policy towards women interests and on the other hand to gain a greater level of women’s participation in other spheres of society.

Quota Law in Argentina. Implementation and quantitative analysis.

Women number in the Deputies Chamber and percentage, period 1983-1995 Year	Total number of seats	Women	% Total
1983-85	254	13	5.1%
1985-87	254	12	4.7%
1987-89	254	14	5.5%
1989-91	254	16	6.3%
1991-93	257	16	6.2%
1993-95	257	36	14.0%
1995-97	257	71	27.6%

The aim of this section is to show that women were gaining space in politics

Quota in the context of India..

If the Women`s Reservation Bill 2008 is really what it sounds to aim at – providing 33 per cent reservation for women in state legislatures and parliament i.e. seeking around 1,600 of the country`s most powerful 5,000 seats (approx) – there would be no need for the common woman to raise her voice for it. For, any woman who has the financial backing for election campaigns is already more empowered than an average Indian.

what can reservation of parliamentary seats do than empower the already powerful? How can it help the casual women labourer on the road toiling day and night? How does it help the mute women panchayat leaders, who in reality do nothing more than serve tea, during the panchayat meetings presided by their husbands acting as de facto leaders? What about the lakhs of girl children in rural areas who are forced to fight oddities even to get basic education?
If women empowerment is the underlying idea of reservation, then it is more logical to focus on providing basic education for all women, especially in the lower and middle strata of the society.  The focus should be on giving a life of dignity for women of all strata and societies, through education, which can help design our lives.

But again if the activists want to fight for a cause, ideally they should be forcing the government and others to ensure a secure environment for women not only in office but also on the roads. And may be even at home, why not?
If women empowerment is the crux of the issue, then the need here is not any quota or reservation but an attitudinal change among men of all social strata, which is achievable through basic education.
Look at it in another way! When educated women have the freedom to work and choose their career, why do we need a quota to be caught in? In such a scenario, a 33 per cent quota is just another way for men to limit women’s development.

If reservation in parliament is the only way out for upliftment of women, the question is why then limit it to only 33 percent. They say half of the world is filled with women, then why don’t we have 50 per cent reservation?

But honestly, why do we need quota to showcase equality when men and women are born equal. All that we need is basic education for all women.

Have we forgotten the famous words:

 “When you educate a man, you help a family; when you educate a women, you help a society.”

India, Japan agree to work for enhancing dialogue parameters

Recognising the pivotal role that economic cooperation between the two countries played in steering their bilateral ties forward, India and Japan on Saturday agreed on the need to enhance dialogue between their foreign offices on several issues, as both sides felt that they had a mutual stake in each other's prosperity and progress.

During the 4th round of the India-Japan Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi, led by External Affairs Minister S.M.Krishna and Foreign Minister Okada respectively, among other issues discussions on global issues like climate change, non-proliferation and disarmament were also held.

India appreciated Japan's decision to commence negotiations on a bilateral Agreement on the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.

Addressing reporters at a joint press interaction with Japanese Foreign Minister Okada, Mr. Krishna said: "We also discussed regional issues of interest to both India and Japan. We also agreed to enhance dialogue between the Foreign Offices of our two countries on several regions," said Krishna and added: "We decided to embark on a new Dialogue on Africa, with a view to synergizing our developmental efforts in that continent." 

Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said India was aware of the sensitivities reflected in some viewpoints expressed in that country and it was appreciative of those viewpoints but it was up to the government of Japan to take care of such issues.

"The two sides have decided to work towards a good working pact in the area, creating a win-win situation for both the countries. And there is no timeline to it," he said.

Before his departure from Tokyo, Okada told a press conference that he will discuss with the Indian leadership issues such as bilateral civilian nuclear cooperation pact and a free trade agreement, negotiations for which are on.

Prostitution: A burning issue in India today

According to Human Rights Watch, there are approximately 15 million prostitutes in India. There are more than 100,000 women prostitution in Bombay, Asia’s largest sex industry center. Girl prostitutes in India, Pakistan and the Middle East are tortured, held in virtual imprisonment, sexually abused, and raped. Girl prostitutes are primarily located in low-middle income areas and business districts and are known by officials. Brothel keepers regularly recruit young girls. Girl prostitutes are grouped as common prostitutes, singers and dancers, call girls, religious prostitutes or devdasi, and caged brothel prostitutes. Districts bordering Maharashtra and Karnataka, known as the ‘devadasi belt’, have trafficking structures operating at various levels. The women here are in prostitution either because their husbands deserted them, or they are trafficked through coercion and deception. Many are devadasi, dedicated into prostitution for the Goddess Yellamma.

An oft-repeated cause of prostitution is poverty. But poverty is not the only reason. The helplessness of women forces them to sell their bodies. Many girls from villages are trapped for the trade in the pretext of love and elope from home, only to find themselves sold in the city to pimps, who take money from the women as commission. The other causes of prostitution include ill treatment by parents, bad company, family prostitutes, social customs, inability to arrange marriage, lack of sex education, media, prior incest and rape, early marriage and desertion, lack of recreational facilities, ignorance, and acceptance of prostitution. Economic causes include poverty and economic distress. Psychological causes include desire for physical pleasure, greed, and dejection.


Most enter involuntarily. India, along with Thailand and the Philippines, has 1.3 million childrens in its sex-trade centers. The childrens come from relatively poorer areas and are trafficked to relatively richer ones. India and Pakistan are the main destinations for children under 16, who are trafficked to south Asia. What is causing alarm both in governmental and Non Governmental Organisations circles is the escalation in trafficking of young girls, in the last decade. NGOs like STOP and MAITI in Nepal, report that most trafficking in India (both trans-border and in-country) is for prostitution. And 60 per cent of those trafficked into prostitution are adolescent girls in the age group of 12 to 16 years. These figures are corroborated by a study done by the Department of Women and Children in 13 sensitive districts of Uttar Pradesh. It revealed that all sex workers who formed a part of this survey had entered the profession as young girls. Many transsexuals, calledhijiras, are sex workers. The families of hijiras reject them. They face opposition from the public, and with the denial of employment, they take to begging and then enter the sex market.