The Lok Sabha Speaker has said that a constitutional provision reserving one-third of seats for women in Parliament and State Assemblies will create opportunities for women to lead in politics. The statement came during the opening of a two-day workshop on gender-responsive governance organised by the National Commission for Women in Faridabad.
What was announced
The Lok Sabha Speaker inaugurated an All-India Capacity Building Workshop titled “Gender-Responsive Governance” conducted by the National Commission for Women (NCW). Around 200 women legislators from 20 States and 2 Union Territories attended the event in Faridabad, Haryana.
The Speaker highlighted that the 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies represents a historic shift in India’s democratic system. He observed that women are increasingly present across public services and professions, and predicted that women will soon make up over 50 per cent of public sector employment.
He stressed that the focus should move beyond simply providing opportunities to women. Instead, women should actively participate in shaping policies, programmes, and laws that affect them. The Speaker noted that women legislators working in Parliament, State Assemblies, Panchayats, and Municipalities have a crucial responsibility to bring women’s concerns into legislative deliberations and ensure that laws reflect ground-level realities.
The Speaker also emphasised that economic and social empowerment of women is essential for India’s progress towards developed nation status, since women make up nearly half the population. He called on women legislators to create effective policies and schemes that strengthen women economically, particularly those facing disadvantage. He suggested that successful initiatives should be shared across different legislatures so that best practices can be adopted nationwide.
What this means for you
If you are a woman in politics or public service, this signals institutional commitment to your participation in decision-making at every level of governance. If you are a citizen seeking to address women’s concerns, the focus on gender-responsive governance means future laws and policies should better reflect real problems that women face on the ground.