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A newly elected woman representative sits in a Panchayat meeting but barely speaks. Her husband, accompanying her to the meeting, speaks on her behalf and engages with other male elected representatives. Despite the historic reservation that grants her a formal seat to lead her village, the path from position to power remains blocked by many visible and invisible barriers.

This is the shared story of many Elected Women Representatives across the country who struggle to translate their formal position of power into effective power. The 73rd Amendment Act of 1993 introduced at least one-third reservation for women in Panchayats. Many states over the years have increased this to fifty per cent ¹. According to the 2023 Global Gender Gap Report, India is one of the 18 countries with more than 40 per cent of women in local governance. However, reservations alone are not a sufficient condition for women's empowerment. They face several socio-economic barriers, such as the pradhan-pati culture - where male family members dominate decision-making - lack of education, restricted mobility, the dual burden of household responsibilities and deep-rooted societal perceptions about women's roles. These factors sideline women from actively participating in governance, reducing their roles to mere formalities. They not only diminish women's autonomy but also perpetuate a lack of knowledge about their roles, governance procedures, and the power they hold.

Takeaways from Our Training Program

Navigating the complex maze of governance is challenging enough; for women, the added barriers create a compounding effect, leaving many unsure of their roles and responsibilities. Traditional training programs often cannot address women's unique challenges in such spaces. Women are often more hesitant to participate actively in discussions during these trainings, which can limit their engagement and learning opportunities. Recognising this challenge, we at ResGov developed a programme to train EWRs on their roles and responsibilities, administrative structures, local planning, Panchayat finances, and e-governance mechanisms. Over the past year, we have worked with EWRs from across the country. Our goal was simple: to provide them a space to freely engage with these topics, enhance their understanding, and foster peer learning.

As we worked with women to train and support them in implementing what they learned beyond the workshop, we found that providing knowledge is just one piece of the puzzle. Along with knowledge, women also need support in building the skills necessary to apply that knowledge effectively.

For example, if an EWR aims to ensure effective planning in her village, she must,

• identify the needs and current realities of the community
• leverage her existing networks to mobilise both the community and government officials to attend the Gram Sabhas
• prioritise between conflicting needs of the society

Each of these activities in the planning process requires specific skills in addition to the knowledge of how planning works. Our discussions with EWRs during and after the training led us to identify several skills that need to be developed, including communication, networking, observation and analysis, conflict resolution, and team management. It is important to note that these skills are not innate; they must be nurtured over time with the proper guidance and exposure.

Another pattern that emerged among various participants was a lack of self-esteem. As they opened up about their challenges, many EWRs admitted they struggled with extreme self-doubt and anxiety when trying to challenge the status quo and assert their leadership.

Insights from Karnataka's Women Leaders

To gain deeper insights, we conducted interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with over 20 EWRs in Karnataka. A common trend emerged from these conversations: EWRs heavily rely on male family members and Panchayat colleagues to navigate their roles.

Many women revealed that they faced family pressure to contest elections, often as a means for male relatives to maintain political influence through their positions. Limited access to information exacerbates this dependency. Some EWRs lacked mobile phones and depended entirely on their husbands for updates about meetings and governance matters. Most women travelled to Panchayat meetings with male family members due to restrictions on independent mobility, further cementing male dominance in decision-making.

Even during Panchayat meetings, male Panchayat members overshadowed their voices. As one EWR shared:

" None of our suggestions are taken. Only male members are actively involved. On the other hand, we are not informed about the things happening in the GP. We are left behind. So I don't feel that we are supported. "

This dependency significantly influences how EWRs perceive themselves as leaders. Many viewed their role as limited to attending meetings while male members made decisions. The lack of autonomy has led to growing disillusionment. Majority EWRs expressed no intention of running for office again, citing a lack of agency and support. When asked whether they felt empowered to bring about change, the question was met with silence. For many, it was the first time they had been asked to reflect on their leadership potential. They also struggled to articulate their challenges or aspirations, reflecting a lack of opportunities to think critically about their roles.

A Holistic Approach to Empowerment

Our experience has taught us that building leadership capabilities requires a holistic development approach. This begins with a focus on the personal dimension, which involves the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attributes necessary for effective governance.

Additionally, fostering leadership capabilities requires that women perceive themselves as leaders. Women's empowerment, therefore, has cognitive and psychological dimensions as well. The cognitive dimension refers to women gaining an understanding of the conditions and causes of their subordination. The psychological dimension involves developing the belief that they can act at both personal and societal levels to improve their realities and the communities they serve.

Our interactions with EWRs have also raised an important question: Can leadership development be maximised by focusing solely on the personal development of EWRs?

Our experience suggests that it cannot.

Source: Study on EWRs in Panchayati Raj Institutions, MoPR (2008)

As shown in the accompanying figure, EWR empowerment is deeply influenced by conditions in the household, socio-cultural, and professional spaces. A programme that focuses solely on personal development risks placing the entire burden of change on women. For EWRs to thrive as leaders, shifts are required in the perceptions and behaviours of various stakeholders across these spaces. This includes family members, community members, peer-elected representatives, and government functionaries. Leadership development programmes must also address and work with these external factors to create an enabling environment where women leaders can exercise their agency and thrive.

Building on these learnings, we are committed to a holistic approach to leadership development of EWRs that bridges the gap between personal growth and systemic change. This not only involves supporting EWRs in building their knowledge, skills and confidence but also, as a first step, engaging with male elected representatives and government functionaries to challenge existing norms. We believe it is equally important to create spaces for men to reflect, share and cultivate a deeper understanding of their role as allies in reshaping societal attitudes and fostering an inclusive governance ecosystem.

¹As of February 2023, 21 states and 2 union territories have implemented provisions reserving 50% of seats for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions.