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THP in India - Empowering Women Panchayat Leaders
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Success Stories |
Across India, the stories of women Panchayat members are being told. In more than 500,000 Indian villages, home to more than 600 million people, women are stepping forth to bring progress to their communities. The following are some of their stories.
"Learning politics' is the latest fad for young village girls, who dream of joining the growing band of women Panchayat representatives.
--Deepak Tiwari, Journalist for This Week
In the state of Andhra Pradesh, Mallela was once relegated to the sidelines to watch her father-in-law act as panchayat president. After panchayat leadership in the district was reserved for women, she contested the election, and won. As a representative, she had eight roads laid, constructed school buildings and provided textbooks for students, created self-employment opportunities for 305 people, and arranged loans for 207 individuals of the scheduled castes.
In Karnataka, Lakshmi Bai was encouraged by the women in her village to run for elections. Since her election, she has been an accountable leader to her constituency. She calls the women together and informs them about the programs and facilities available to the community via the panchayat.
She conducts monthly meetings for women in which instruction in small business activity is conducted, and women can obtain loans for income generating activities. In the meetings, they discuss dowry, harassment of girls and family planning. Women from all religions participate, in the stated hope that caste and creed differences may be abolished.
In one area of the state of Gujarat, at least 61 villages are now ruled by young and middle aged women, who have risen to positions of empowerment and authority as panchayat leaders. Their experiences differ, but each is taking remarkable steps to revolutionize the power structure in the region. The women attest that "tomorrow is ours, if not today, thanks to this panchayat act which empowers women as never before."
In the village of Dayapar, Gujarat, Godavariben Patel comments, "it is not easy to solve our development problems when the local opposition is strong but I try to carry on without any fear."
Nathiben of Jinjay village, Gujarat remarks: "No one before me had this capacity to provide even drinking water to the residents of my village. Now I have accomplished this difficult job."
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