Are women candidates getting elected to the local self government institutions in Kerala any better than men in fulfilling their election promises? An analysis done by the State Planning Board under a project on strengthening State Plans for Human Development suggests that the answer is negative.
While a quarter of elected women representatives covered under the study were found to have fulfilled their promises, five per cent could not fulfil any of their promises. About 50 per cent of the representatives fulfilled their promises partially.
Their promises at election time in 2005 included mainly new roads, drinking water, minor irrigation, housing and electrification. A few were in terms of employment for women and women’s empowerment in agriculture and allied sectors, education and health. A review of projects formulated specifically for women under the Women Component Plan in the first two to three years of the outgoing local bodies showed only a marginal improvement in the type of projects undertaken specifically for the benefit of women.
The analysis which looked at the gender sensitivity of elected women representatives in local bodies observed that one of the reasons for failure to fulfil promises could be absence of horizontal and vertical integration in project planning and formulation which made it infeasible to undertake certain projects by the lower tier local bodies. Another important reason appeared to be the lack of any notable attendance by the elected women representatives in meeting of various working groups which were crucial for earmarking sufficient funds as well as formulation of projects beneficial to women.
The study noted that the women representatives had done a credible job in mediating problems of women emanating in the families and in society on their own and with the help of others. However, women members seemed to be diffident to act once confronted with strong challenges; it became crucial for them to seek assistance of others.
