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‘Even Lord Krishna was dark’: PM Modi slams Congress over Sam Pitroda’s racist remarks, asks if skin colour is the reason they opposed President Murmu
'Congress Equates Prez Murmu With Africans': PM Modi Slams Pitroda's 'Racist' Remark
These headlines dominated newspapers and online websites on May 8.
President Droupadi Murmu is the first tribal woman who was chosen by the BJP Central leadership as the presidential candidate in presidential elections in 2022. The saffron party has often boasted of appointing the first women tribal president. Even during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, political parties on either end of ideologies have been trying to one-up the other. However, the aforementioned remarks, made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing an election rally in Warangal in Telangana on May 8, solely relied on the President’s skin colour to attack the opposition parties.
Even if a woman reaches the highest position in a government, as in Murmu’s case – that of a President – she is still often judged for her appearance, instead of competence. Such an emphasis on women’s physical traits and personal life choices is often perpetuated into the public discourse by the media as well.
Read here the full article published by Outlook India on 14 May 2024.
Image by Outlook India
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Basanti Sabar, 30, is a third-time voter. But this time round, as the eastern Indian state of Odisha goes to the polls in simultaneous general and assembly elections, the former migrant worker will make a crucial shift in the way she votes.
In patriarchal rural India, who the family vote for is usually decided by the men. On 13 May, however, Sabar and other women in Padampur village will for the first time vote for a candidate of their choice – a shift that is influencing the way state and national politicians speak to women in their manifestos.
Padampur, in the drought-stricken Kalahandi district of western Odisha, is one of India’s most impoverished villages, whose people have for decades been compelled to migrate to make a living. Today, the men still leave, but the women, who have discovered financial independence in Odisha’s successful self-help group (SHG) movement, which offers them loans and benefits from state schemes, now stay put.
This newfound independence is changing what men and women want from politicians. Padampur’s men have their hopes pinned on broad-based changes such as more jobs and better incomes, which they believe only a national party can deliver. However the women, bolstered by the income available to them through loans and self-help schemes, support the state government, run by a regional party.
The government’s Economic Survey 2022-23 mentions that India’s female-led SHGs were emerging as the world’s biggest microfinance project. According to the survey, the SHG-Bank Linkage Programme, which helps poorer Indians access microfinance through self-help groups and banks, covers 142 million families with saving deposits of Rs 470bn (£4.5bn).
Read here the full article published by The Guardian on 10 May 2024.
Image by The Guardian
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In the final days of her election campaign, Cathy Nori considered giving up. The 57-year-old had been trekking up a mountain, near her home in Isabel province, Solomon Islands, when she was overcome with exhaustion.
“I couldn’t help but question my purpose, silently asking … why I was enduring such hardship,” Nori says in an interview with the Guardian.
Yet in that moment, the former businesswoman summoned her strength and sought comfort from her team.
“It was a pivotal moment, a fleeting temptation to surrender that I chose to overcome. It’s the first-hand experience of rural struggles that fuels my determination,” Nori says.
Nori turned to politics about a decade ago and, after two failed election bids, will this year join Solomon Islands’ parliament for the first time. She will represent part of Isabel province, which has a population of about 35,000 people and is beset by problems including poor roads and a lack of infrastructure.
She is one of just three women elected to the Pacific country’s 50-seat parliament in last month’s national election. Nori will be joined by Freda Rangirei Tuki, representing Temotu-Vatud in Temotu province, and Choilyn Yim Douglas for the Ngella constituency, Central Islands province.
Read here the full article published by the Guardian on 08 May 2024.
Image by The Guardian
The Chief Election Commissioner while kick-starting the festival of the world’s largest democracy celebrated the fact that India’s gender ratio of 948 to 1000 is a "very healthy sign” of women's political participation.
This should be read along with the President of India’s assent to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Bill paving the way for 33% of seats for women in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the National Capital Territory Delhi.
This will go down in history as an important turning point in India’s political landscape. The Bill which turned into an act is hailed as a step in the right direction towards achieving substantive democracy considering the country's appalling performance in the political empowerment indicator of the Gender Parity Index (127 out of 147 countries).
Can it really transform the fate of India’s procedural democracy into a truly participatory democracy? Exploring the development of women's political rights and their representation will provide further insight into the issue.
Read here the full article published by The Quint on 6 May 2024.
Image by The Quint
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History was made on Monday, 29th April 2024 when Two Women were sworn-in as democratically elected Executive Chairpersons of local government councils in Gombe for the first time.
The Two Women who were declared winners of their various LGAs during the Council elections held last Saturday, 27th April 2024, are, Hon Fatima Binta Bello, Shongom LGC, and Egla Idris, Billiri LGC, all of them members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Consequently, the State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has been commended for his gender sensitivity and commitment to inclusive governance, where women are given a level playing field to contest and be voted for in elections.
Read here the full article published by the Nigerian Tribune on 30 April 2024.
Image by Nigerian Tribune
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New Delhi: For this year’s general election, Karnataka has seen a 48 percent jump in the number of women candidates fielded by all political parties, with the number increasing to 40 from the previous 27 in 2019. However, historical data shows this might not be a winning strategy, with voters overwhelmingly preferring males.
In a state which has conventionally achieved a good sex ratio — currently 997 females per 1,000 males — women still have it tough when it comes to politics.
In the second phase held on 26 April, 14 of the state’s 28 seats went to polls. The remaining 14 are slated for voting in the third phase on 7 May.
ThePrint’s analysis of historical data for 33 years across Parliamentary as well as assembly elections sourced from the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Ashoka University’s Lok Dhaba shows that though the state has seen an increased number of female candidates through these years, these nominations have hardly converted into wins.
Click here to read the full article published by The Print India on 06 May 2024.
Image by The Print India
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