Women’s Representation and Political Participation in Jammu and Kashmir: Challenges, Democratic Governance and Gender-Inclusive Politics
Prem Singh
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Government Degree College Pouni, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Gender representation and participation in politics are at the core of democratic governance, gender equality and inclusive development and are well known and accepted as a measure of these goals. The participation of women in electoral politics has been increasing in India, along with redrafting the constitution to include provisions on their representation, the participation of women in legislative and executive institutions is still limited. The issues under consideration are distinctively analyzed in the context of Jammu and Kashmir, which has a very unique history of political conflict, constitutional transition and developing democratic institutions. In this study, political participation and representation of women in Jammu and Kashmir are explored with respect to electoral politics, legislative institution, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local Bodies and political decision making. A qualitative research design with secondary data from scholarly literature, government reports, Election Commission publications and policy documents, the study examines the impact of socio-cultural norms, patriarchal structures, political party recruitment, educational opportunities and governance reforms on women's political empowerment. The results show that many structural and institutional obstacles still hinder women's participation in elections and grassroot governance, despite their growing presence in these processes, particularly in the political institutions of senior electoral and governance bodies. To achieve gender-inclusive governance, democratic accountability, and sustainable development in Jammu and Kashmir, the study recommends institutional reforms, political party responsiveness and commitment towards women's political empowerment, leadership development, effective implementation of constitutional provisions for women, and more.
Keywords: Women's Political Participation, Political Representation, Gender-Inclusive Politics, Democratic Governance, Women's Empowerment.
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