CSR is one of the organizations at the forefront of the civil society movement to demand for the equal participation of women in policy making and the higher echelons of political processes. Over the years, we have been actively lobbying for the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill which demands a 33% reservation of seats for women in Parliament.  

From Local to National  

The 73^rd and 74^th Amendments passed in 1992 brought a 33% reservation for women into the Panchayati Raj system of local governance in India.

Increasingly research into the impact of this reservation is slowly but surely indicating positive changes; confidence is gradually building amongst women representatives, and their is evidence of increased influence in local decision-making processes.

CSR is a strong advocate that these reservations must be extended to the top level of decision making to ensure a healthy future for the world’s largest democracy.

In March 2007 CSR commenced an ambitious two year project, supported by UNDEF to enhance the role of women in strengthening democracy. Please click here for more information.  

(Left) On November 24th, 2006 CSR co-organised with other partner NGOs a rally to demand the tabling and passage of the Women's Reservation Bill at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.

Research

A comparative research study on women in Panchayati Raj institutions in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh is currently underway. SR have previously conducted various research studies on engendering governance. These have included following studies: Women-Headed Households in Rural India; Strengthening the Government - Citizen Connection for Effective Governance of Urban Local Bodies; Gender and Local Governance: It’s Implications on Development; Study on Women Parliamentarians.

Advocacy

CSR has also turned its attentions to lobbying on this issue on an international platform, and ensuring that Indian women’s voices are heard. 

At the United Nations 50th Committee on Status of Women meeting in New York , which focused on enhancing political participation for women, CSR issued a statement and stressed that the Status of Women Committee should resolve to fix a time frame for countries to create gender balance in politics in national parliaments. In this context, WEDO organized a Five-year Review Meeting in New York (24th-26th February 2006), to review the Global Campaign - Gender Balance 50/50 in Politics. CSR, a network partner of WEDO, presented the status of South Asian women in terms of political empowerment in South Asia .

                                           International Women Leaders Global Security Summit