Panchayat elections held in Goa in August 2022, led to pink revolution in Goa. A large number of women got elected to the helm of power at the grassroots. In fact, there are three panchayats referred as Pink Panchayats as women representatives have outnumbered men, the panchayats of Benaulim, Assolna and Dramapur-Sirlim. There are 62 panchayats headed by women sarpanch, 29 in South Goa and 33 in North Goa. However, a preliminary survey reflected that most of these women contested because the ward was now reserved, and they are more known as daughter/wife/mother of the then incumbent. Wives asked to fill the forms when nurtured ward is declared as reserved is a common trend all over India and Goa was no exception.
The survey further showed that women voters even though voted in large numbers, did not attend Gram Sabhas, and sizable number were not even aware of functioning of the Panchayat. Hence, we have to be skeptical before rushing to the socially desirable conclusion that women at grassroots are empowered and need no further push. Socially we still, subtly or covertly, have gender bias, crimes against women are on rise, taboos surrounding menstruation are deterrents in the progress of young girls, and patriarchal holds still constrain women in political, economic and social spheres of life.
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One way for bringing women in mainstream, is by increasing their participation at all level. This is where organising Mahila Sabhas at grassroots can become a strategically important tool to mobilise women. Acknowledging the importance of such a platform, in 2003, the State Government issued a circular for conducting Mahila Sabhas before Gam Sabha meetings. In 2012, the State made a statutory provision for organising Mahila Gram Sabhas (MGS).
The common query that is raised is, when there are Gram Sabhas (GS), what is the special need for MGS? Though GS consist of all the people whose names are enrolled in the list of voters for that Panchayat, in reality there is very poor attendance of women in GS. The women are not informed of date and time of GS, besides the agenda of the GS may not be appealing to women and therefore there is a failure in establishing the connect. As GS are male dominated women are not comfortable to voice their demands. They feel shy to raise their hands, have bleak chances of getting their ‘turn’ to speak, and they fear to express their ideas as are afraid that they may be mocked and laughed at.
MGS, on the other hand, can provide a platform for women to meet and discuss their problems, realise their rights and share their aspirations. There is strength in collective gathering, and going by the maxim ‘sisterhood is powerful’, women can speak for their own cause whether it is on basic needs like safe drinking water, need for stoppage of open defecation, or on issues affecting the village at large, whether protection of environment, drug menace, village economy, social justice or promotion of harmony and self-sustainability. Specifics of discussion may differ from Panchayat to Panchayat though there are issues which will be of common concern.
Participation in MGS can definitely improve quality of life, it can boost confidence of women and prepare them to play an effective role in decision making at GS. It can serve as a springboard for women to enter village, state and national level politics. key aspects of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) guidelines include proactive participation of women in budgeting, planning, implementation and monitoring of GPDP.
Convening MGS prior to GS, and including the suggesting and opinions of MGS in the GS and its acceptance wherever possible will give fair representation to women at grassroots. MGS can be an effective pressure group, and can act as a check against the Panchayat officials, thus ensuring accountability and answerability.
MGS will consist of women voters of the village. The MGS has to be attended by sarpanch, women panchas and the secretary. The elected representatives, the Secretary, Gram Sevak, Panchayat officials, NGOs operating in the area, and Anganwadi workers have a major responsibility to mobilise the women to attend the MGS. States like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and even the former State of JK, have been proactive in promoting MGS.
The Government of Goa too should take concrete steps to promote MGS and the Goa Panchayat Mahila Sakhti Abhiyan (GPMSA) should take the initiative in this direction. People’s participation is fundamentally important in democratic government. Women constitute half of the population. This fact necessitates participation of women in democracy, especially at grassroots, and to reiterate Mahatma Gandhi, this ought to be the natural condition of things.
