Context
- India has shifted women’s empowerment from policy intent to structural reform, placing women at the centre of development. The proposed Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam aims to deepen this transformation by enhancing women’s political representation.
Key Reforms
- Financial inclusion expanded through PM Jan Dhan Yojana, with over 55% accounts held by women.
- Nearly 10 crore women organised into Self-Help Groups, promoting grassroots entrepreneurship and resilience.
- Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana reduced health risks and time burden for over 10.5 crore households.
- Around 70% of MUDRA loans extended to women, enhancing access to credit and enterprise growth.
- Female labour force participation increased to nearly 37%, reversing earlier declining trends.
- Health initiatives like Ayushman Bharat and PM Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan improved access and reduced vulnerability.
- Social campaigns such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao contributed to changing gender norms.
- Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam aims to enhance women’s legislative representation, aligning policy with lived realities.
Advantages
- Women’s empowerment has shifted from welfare approach to growth driver, accelerating economic development.
- Increased financial access and entrepreneurship have strengthened grassroots economic resilience.
- Improved healthcare access has reduced gender-based vulnerability at critical life stages.
- Higher representation can ensure more responsive and inclusive policymaking.
- A multiplier effect is expected through leadership pipelines, participation, and policy effectiveness.
Limitations
- Significant awareness gaps persist, limiting scheme enrolment and benefits.
- Last-mile delivery challenges continue due to uneven local administrative capacity.
- Many eligible women remain excluded due to access barriers despite eligibility.
- Focus remains more on output indicators rather than outcome-based evaluation.
- Representation alone may not ensure effectiveness without institutional capacity-building.
Way Forward
- Shift focus from scheme announcement to saturation of access and inclusion.
- Strengthen district-level ownership and data-driven monitoring for better implementation.
- Promote convergence across departments to ensure holistic delivery of benefits.
- Build women’s leadership capacity through mentorship, policy exposure, and institutional support.
- Simplify programme design and strengthen feedback loops for adaptive policymaking.
- Measure success through outcome-based indicators, not just coverage metrics.
