Panchayati Rule and Gender Awareness Training Institute
Gender equity in Local Governance through Transformative Leadership and Citizenship
VISION - To build a gender just society.
MISSION - To enhance the status of women in social, economic and political sphere

Demand for 50% Women’s Reservation in Panchayats Election 2008

“Hum Panchayaton me mahilayon ke liyen 50% arakshan ki maang karte hain”, these were the voices resounding of the Elected Women’s Functionaries from the 13 districts, in the residence of Hon’ble Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (Local Self Governance), Mr. Bishen Singh Chuphal, Government of Uttarakhand.

The Uttarakhand Elected Women’s Panchayat Forum congregated here in Dehradun at PRAGATI / RLEK’s premises on the 4^th February 2008, to share their aspirations and grievances on the status and role of women in Panchayat. They unanimously voiced the demand for 50% reservation for women in the three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions, to play a larger role in the development process.

Gayatri Bhatt, a Pradhan said, “We will pressurize the Uttarakhand State Government for 50% reservation for women. It is beyond our understanding that this state, which was glorified for women's movement, is impassive to the plummeting women leadership in Panchayat.”

There is now an intense demand emerging for 50% reservation for women in the Panchayat; the states of Bihar, MP and now Himachal Pradesh have set a precedent for the nation – a political will to bring 50% reservation for women in all the three tiers of Panchayats.

Madhu Bisht, Block Pramukh said, “It is time the state woke up to the vociferous demands of the EWRs, and we will not rest till our demands our met.”

PRAGATI, an all women’s unit based at Dehradun, operates on a firm belief on the Democratic Principle of "By the women, for the women and of the women” striving towards attaining Gender Equity in Governance through Transformative Women Leadership and Citizenship.

Panchayat Elections in early 2008, Chandrakala Kachal Block Pramukh from DD Haat, Pithoragarh says,“We will continue to fight zealously for women’s rights in Uttarakhand and stand for the elections if and only our demand for 50% reservation for women in Panchayat is fulfilled.”

Ms Ruchi Kukreti, Chairperson PRAGATI says There is an ardent need to give women more political space and a voice to break the political glass ceiling to deliver a transparent, accountable and responsive governance at the grassroots

RLEK supports 50% reservation for women in ....

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