Ruchira Kamboj Explains How India's Panchayati Raj System Marks Rise of Women's Leadership

New York: Shedding light on the remarkable progress made in women's leadership within the Panchayati Raj system of India, the India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj said the country takes immense pride on a unique system which is an emblem of decentralised power at grassroots level. 

Speaking at India's #CPD57 side event- Localising the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Leads the Way, she underlined the transformative impact of women's empowerment at the grassroots level.

Highlighting India's decentralised power structure, she said, "The Panchayati Raj is a sterling example of direct democracy that facilitates active participation from all residents of a Panchayat through the Gram Sabha," 

She emphasised India's commitment to gender equality and recalled the landmark move of constitutional amendment in 1992 which mandated that at least one third of all elected roles in local governance be reserved for women. 

“This constitutional provision was a landmark step towards ensuring equitable representation of women in decision-making bodies at the grassroots level,” she said. 

She lauded the rise of women's representation to 50 per cent in 21 states of India and said, "Today, of the over 3.1 million elected representatives, more than 1.4 million are women." 

Kamboj further asserted that Panchayati Raj system and the planning process within has played key role in localisation of sustainable development goals, with a primary focus on empowering women. 

“The impact of such initiatives has been transformative. By integrating gender considerations into development planning, the Panchayati Raj system ensures that women's needs and priorities are effectively addressed, leading to more inclusive and sustainable outcomes,” she added.

(With agency inputs…)