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Sunayana Walia

Opportunities and Challenges of Women's Political Participation in India

Opportunities and Challenges of Women's Political Participation in India
A Synthesis of Research Findings from Select Districts in India

Nandita Bhatla, Sunayana Walia, Tina Khanna, Ravi Verma
2012

 

This series of reports highlight the findings from an ICRW study that was conducted as part of a UN Women program titled “Promoting Women’s Political Leadership and Governance in India and South Asia.” ICRW researchers surveyed nearly 3,000 elected female and male village leaders as well as collected qualitative data from other stakeholders to determine whether the local governing bodies - Panchayati Raj Institutions - are platforms where gender issues are raised, discussed and acted upon.
 
The study finds that there is a sharp disconnect between the frequency with which women privately raise gender issues – especially domestic violence – with their representatives and the frequency with which those issues are brought to the table during panchayat meetings. Traditional attitudes among both women and men elected leaders around domestic violence contribute to it being perceived as outside the realm of public and political discourse. Yet, there is perceived space and commitment to discuss such issues, as a small but not insignificant proportion of elected representatives raise them in meetings.
 
The reports make an important contribution to the discourse on gender responsive governance, and include recommendations to make local governing bodies more responsive to women’s needs and concerns. 
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Women's Reproductive Choices and Behaviors: A Bibliography

in

Understanding what determines a woman’s reproductive choices and behaviors, particularly in terms of family planning, can inform the development of more effective programs and policies to improve their lives. ICRW conducted a large-scale, household-based study in Madhya Pradesh, India to explore the full range of factors that define women’s options regarding childbearing.

Women's Reproductive Choices and Behaviors: A Study in Madhya Pradesh, India

in

Women’s control over their own childbearing is a key component of reproductive health and rights. In order to understand the full range of factors that define women’s options regarding childbearing, ICRW designed an innovative, large-scale, household-based study in Madhya Pradesh, India to explore the domestic, societal, service-related and policy-related context of women’s reproductive choices and behaviors.

In partnership with the International Institute for Population Studies, Mumbai, and the Government Medical College, Nagpur, ICRW designed and developed an innovative data collection approach through a survey that combined a unique narrative interviewing technique with rigorous quantitative survey methodology. Data collection took place between 2000 and 2002, beginning with a qualitative phase and culminating in a large-scale, representative survey. In total, data were collected on 11,341 individual pregnancies from 2,444 women aged 15 to 39, providing a unique insight into women’s entire reproductive lives. This approach was shown to produce higher quality and more detailed data than standard household surveys.  

The following central research questions were explored:

  • How are women’s reproductive choices and behaviors manifested in the decision-making processes that determine contraceptive use, the occurrence of unwanted pregnancies and the resolution of unwanted pregnancies?
  • Under what circumstances are the actions that women take – or fail to take – indicative of their ability to formulate and act upon reproductive choices?

Findings from the data show that the vast majority of women had limited reproductive choices and rights despite the fact that abortion has been legal in India since 1972. The data also point to the unequivocal link between contraceptive access and abortion. Further analysis of the data explores the role of household members in shaping women’s reproductive behavior and better understanding women’s decision-making process regarding fertility control.

The data collection and research were funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Hewlett Foundation.

Duration: 
1999 to 2009
Location(s): 
India
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