The system of women reserved seats in parliament has not facilitated women empowerment in mainstream politics rather it has made them more dependent on this quick and easy access to power, says a study conducted by Khan Foundation. The study showed that in the nine parliaments since independence, 214 women had become MPs in reserved seats and only 19 of them had subsequently contested the general elections, but five had been elected in a total of 53 women members from general seats in a stark contrast to 2,636 members in the nine parliaments.
‘The shockingly low figure of less than two per cent of women members in the general seats in our parliamentary history gives a primary indication that the reserved seats, instead of empowering women and encouraging them to compete alongside their male counterparts, have had the reverse effect and made them more dependent on this quick and easy access to power,’ the study report said.
‘The system is marginalising them,’ it said, adding that in the nine parliaments, out of 15,146 nominations, only 266 were given to women to contest the general elections, which is only 1.76 per cent.
‘This poor figure shows general reluctance of political parties to nominate women as their candidates and at the same time, unwillingness by women to compete in the general elections and take the challenge of political campaigns through grassroots mobilisation,’ the report added.
According to the study, 70 per cent of respondents said the system of reserved seats had not facilitated women in contesting from general seats in the national parliament.
Khan Foundation recommended that the political parties should nominate women as candidates for minimum 30 per cent of total 300 parliamentary seats.
Former caretaker government adviser Sultana Kamal, however, did not agree totally with the findings. ‘We have long been saying that there should be an amendment to the system of electing women against reserved seats in parliament. There should have a constituency reserved for women and elections will be held to the constituencies,’ she noted.
About nominating 30 per cent women candidates against general seats, she said it would be difficult to nominate 30 per cent women candidates overnight.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad president Ayesha Khanam also favoured direct elections for women in the way it is held in different local government polls.
‘Had the women MPs got a certain constituency, they will have direct communications with the people which will empower them,’ she noted.
Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers’ Association executive director Salma Ali said she was against reserved seats for women.
‘I am against all types of quotas reserved for women. The system should be abolished. Women should directly contest general seats,’ she added.
-With New Age input
