Why Women-Friendly Manifestos Are Essential For Indian Democracy

Gone are the days when political opinions were entirely based on caste and subcaste identity. Today, gender has been proven to be a defining feature in forming political landscapes across the country. With women accounting for 48.9% of the Indian electorate, political parties scrambled to capitalise on this formidable demographic in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

The  Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and INC manifestos share many characteristics in common while also differing significantly. The BJP showcased superior plans for the financial empowerment of women, however, the INC had better ideas for increasing their participation in the workforce and ensuring an equal work environment.

The BJP has previously mastered the art of wooing female voters, as evidenced by its resounding success in the 2019 general elections. Prime Minister Modi's administration rolled out a slew of initiatives targeting women, including the widely acclaimed Ujjwala, Matru Vandana Yojana, and PM Awas Yojana. 

BJP vs. Congress Approach on Financial Empowerment

The BJP's "Lakhpati Didi" scheme provides interest-free loans and training initiatives to help women generate a sustainable income of at least ₹1 lakh annually. This initiative has already helped millions of women and it plans to expand its reach even further.

The INC offers a direct cash transfer of ₹1 lakh per year to poor households, including women. While this may bring temporary comfort, there are worries regarding the long-term impact on women's financial independence because it may not address the underlying reasons for poverty. This allowance will also impose a significant load on the Centre's budget.

Workforce Participation

In terms of increasing women's participation in the workforce, the INC manifesto appears to have stronger objectives. Data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey, or PLFS (2022–23), show that women's labour force participation in India is only 37%. The BJP's solution to this is to build infrastructure such as working women's hostels and creches. However, it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be in addressing the systemic barriers women face.

Meanwhile, the INC promises to reserve 50% of central government jobs for women by 2025, along with ensuring equal wages, safety measures, and maternity benefits. While the number appears fair, it may be difficult to implement immediately due to a lack of skilled women to fill the positions. But in the long run, it can benefit women. According to the PLFS, more than half of India's workforce lacks access to social security benefits, such as maternity leave.

Other Important Issues Addressed

The Women's Reservation Bill, 2023, was signed into law in 2023 but has yet to be implemented. It proposes to provide 33% of seats in the directly elected Lok Sabha, State legislative assemblies, and Delhi legislative assembly to women.

Both parties maintain diverse opinions on the Women's Reservation Bill, with the BJP promising systematic execution and the INC criticising the delayed rollout as it will be implemented only in 2029, after census and delimitation. Furthermore, the BJP promotes healthcare programmes to battle diseases such as breast and cervical cancer and increases participation in sports.

While these elements are absent from the INC's manifesto, the party proposes doubling the salary of women frontline workers and appointing an Adhikar Maitri in each panchayat to act as a paralegal to educate women and aid them in enforcing their legal rights.

State-Level Strategies

Beyond the national stage, regional players also adopted women-centric agendas to improve their election prospects. States such as Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal have pioneered innovative initiatives aimed at empowering women while reaping political benefits.

Odisha 

Mission Shakti, Odisha's pioneering initiative, shows the transforming power of female empowerment. The initiative, which began in 2001, has empowered millions of women by providing financial aid, loans, and market access, creating a culture of self-reliance and entrepreneurship. Mission Shakti was allocated 41.57% of the state's gender budget in 2023-24. Interestingly, Odisha stands out, with 43% of its startups led by women. So far, 76% of women and 75% of men have turned out to vote in Odisha's election.

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's administration has implemented initiatives such as Mission Shakti and the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivaah Yojana. The Mission Shakti initiative teaches women self-defense while also raising awareness about crime and injustices. Under the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivaah Yojana, the Uttar Pradesh government pays ₹51,000 each wedding, with ₹35,000 going directly to the bride's account and the remainder used for gifts and ceremonial arrangements. This helps to explain why the proportion of women voters grew from 63.31% in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly to 67.18% in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.   

The CSDS Lokniti post-poll survey in Uttar Pradesh following the 2022 Assembly election attributed the BJP's comfortable majority to female voters. The BJP's women's vote share was 13 percentage points higher than Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party (SP). The BJP and SP differed by only 5% in terms of male vote share.  

West Bengal

In West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's welfare package has drawn in her female voters, resulting in electoral victories. Lakhshmir Bhandar, a monthly stipend system for women in Bengal, offers a monetary incentive of ₹500 and ₹1,000 for general caste and SC/ST women, respectively. It was established a few months before the 2021 state Assembly election to combat mounting anti-incumbency sentiment and corruption charges. The scheme proved to be a game changer, covering 21 million women out of a total of 37 million female electorates.   

According to the Pratichi Trust, founded by Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, the Lakshmir Bhandar cash incentive empowered 85.6% of the women polled, with 61.1% acknowledging that the cash improved their position in the household and provided financial security. Approximately 75.9% said they were supplementing the family income and meeting the expenses of their child’s education, buying medicines and also taking care of personal needs.  

Andhra Pradesh

In Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy has also introduced several social packages, some of which are aimed specifically at women. Amma Vodi pays ₹15,000 to mothers of school-going children to encourage education, while YSR Cheyutha provides ₹75,000 over four years to women aged 45-60 from low-income households.  

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who claims to be the custodian of the Dravidian framework of social reform, has launched a host of schemes to help women obtain financial aid and improve their standard of living. "This is not assistance but your right," he declared last year when launching a monthly support package of ₹1,000 for women.

Furthermore, the state's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government subsidises free bus travel for all women, as well as a widow remarriage support programme and marriage help for poor widows' daughters.  

Maharashtra 

Maharashtra offers financial aid to rape victims ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh through the Manodhairya scheme. Additionally, the Majhi Kanya Bhagyashree Scheme grants a yearly allowance of ₹50,000 to girls up to the age of 18. The Women and Child department spent ₹3,000 crore from its ₹9,000 crore budget on various schemes such as Matrutva Sahayog, Kishori Shakti, and financial assistance for girls in orphanages. 

Madhya Pradesh

The dividends of Madhya Pradesh's Ladli Behna Scheme, which distributes ₹1,000 per month to women aged 23 to 60, costs the state ₹8,000 crore a year but yields substantial benefits for the BJP.