Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday said the 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies would open new avenues for women’s political leadership and help bring a new generation of women leaders into public life.
LS Speaker Birla was speaking after inaugurating a two-day All-India Capacity Building Workshop on “Gender-Responsive Governance”, organised by the National Commission for Women (NCW) in Faridabad.
He said women were increasingly making their presence felt across public services and professions and expressed confidence that the day was not far when women would account for more than half of the public services.
The Lok Sabha Speaker said the focus should now move beyond merely providing support and opportunities to women towards enabling them to actively shape policies, programmes and laws.
Women legislators, he said, should participate in determining the legislation needed to address their concerns and aspirations. He highlighted the role of women representatives in the Lok Sabha, State Assemblies, Panchayats and Municipalities in bringing grassroots concerns before the appropriate forums and ensuring that laws respond to ground realities.
Women’s empowerment essential for developed India
LS Speaker Birla said India could not achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation without the economic and social empowerment of women, who constitute nearly half of the country’s population.
He called for ensuring that every woman has access to employment, economic independence and opportunities for social empowerment, particularly women facing deprivation and hardship.
He urged women legislators to deliberate on effective policies, schemes and legislative measures aimed at strengthening women’s economic and social position. He also called for sharing successful initiatives and best practices adopted by different legislatures so they could be replicated across the country.
LS Speaker Birla stressed the need to increase awareness among women, particularly in vulnerable areas, about laws and institutional mechanisms available to address their concerns.
Women’s leadership key to responsive governance
The Speaker noted that women had played a significant role in India’s transformation, from the freedom movement and nation-building to strengthening democratic institutions.
He said the workshop provided an important platform for women legislators to exchange experiences, ideas and perspectives and strengthen their leadership capabilities.
The participation of around 200 women legislators from 20 states and two Union Territories, he said, reflected the growing role of women in legislative forums and their responsibility to give voice to women’s aspirations.
Emphasising the importance of dialogue and consultation in a vibrant democracy, LS Speaker Birla said continuous discussion was essential for addressing the challenges and aspirations of citizens.
He also described sensitivity as an important strength of women’s leadership, saying it could foster a deeper understanding of people’s concerns and help find effective solutions.
A sensitive and responsive work culture, he said, could contribute significantly to addressing social challenges and strengthening democratic institutions.
LS Speaker Birla called for advancing women’s leadership as a collective national resolve and expressed hope that sustained efforts would enable women to occupy leadership positions across every sphere of national life.
NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, Haryana Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Rajesh Nagar and other senior officials were also present at the workshop.
