Elected Women’s Access to Leadership in Local Governance

This study was undertaken by the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) for Tewa. Local government is the most accessible level of government to the people, and it is expected to be as deliberative and participatory as possible, especially for marginalized groups and women to raise their concerns. However, the study revealed that that was not the case. Elected women ward members appear confused and unsure about their roles and responsibilities. In addition to that, the unfamiliar spaces of ward offices often appear aloof and hostile to them which makes them hesitant to voice their concerns and issues. The absence of women-friendly spaces of power has significant implications for local governance, perpetuating characteristics of tokenism and undermining the need for genuine representation and decision-making of women. The quota has also been seen as an instrument of nepotism used by political parties to fill the seats with candidates who will readily conform.   

The study reveals that women representatives are often assigned roles with limited influence, primarily to fulfil reservation quotas, rather than to have impact-centric, meaningful participation. The study highlights a persistent gap between women’s presence in governance and their actual participation in decision-making. Despite occupying positions, women often lack political legitimacy, power and access to decision-making spaces. In addition, the study exposed that the often-quoted structural imbalance of gender may be the cause of favoritism, nepotism, and loyalty to political parties, which hinder women’s access to closed spaces dominated by political elites and bureaucrats of certain caste, class and political backgrounds. These elites, predominantly “upper caste” males, prioritize personal connections and interests over the merit of deserving candidates, further marginalizing women. This structural bias limits the development of women-friendly spaces of power, stifling opportunities for women to assert influence and lead effectively.