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European Journal of Business &

Social Sciences

Available at https://ejbss.org/

ISSN: 2235-767X

Volume 07 Issue 05

May 2019

Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 41

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT:

 Article 14- states equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of

India.

 Article 15- prohibits discrimination against anyone on the grounds of religion, race, caste sex or

place of birth.

 Article 16 - provides equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.

 Article 39(a) - provides direction to state for policy formulation to secure equally adequate means of

livelihood for both men and women.

 Article 42 - provides state to make provision for securing humane conditions of work and for

maternity relief.

PRESENT STATUS:

India stands at 150

th position out of 193 countries in the matter of representation of women in lower

house of parliament. In the 2013 Parliamentary elections Rwanda made record by electing 64% women in

parliament. Although this decreased by 3% in 2018 election but still Rwanda tops in electing women

representative in parliament. These are top three African countries –Rwanda, Namibia and South Africa

whereas no Asian country in the top 10 list for female representation in parliaments. Nordic and

Scandinavian countries have highest percentage of women representation in parliament. UK and USA have

also high representation of women respectively 32 percent and 23 percent. Even Pakistan with 20% has

better women representation in parliament. Every third Member of Parliament in Nepal is woman.

Afghanistan with 28% and China with 24% have also higher women representation than India. Vanuatu has

worst situation where not a single woman represents in parliament.

RWANDA CASE:

The participation of women in parliament was about 18 percent in the 1990s; the road for women’s

incredible participation in politics of Rwanda was paved by the 2003 constitution that set a quota of

minimum 30 per cent women parliament members. Women secured 56 per cent of parliament. Seats in the

2008 elections, the number increased to 64 per cent after the 2013 elections whereas women make up a

global average of only 23.8 per cent of parliament members as of June 2018.