Problems and Factors Encouraging Participation of Women Representatives in Gram Panchayat: A Micro level Study

Abstract

Women should be seen as active participants in development and change, not as beneficiaries. Women's empowerment is successfully achieved when poor women are organized into groups, participate in their communities and assert their rights in a range of services related to economic and social well-being. Constitutional seat reservations can serve the function of actively engaging women in the PRI, but only if they are given the right kind of opportunities, guidance and encouragement. This study concerns the collection of primary data collected from a representative sample of women through structured surveys. A sample from her 160 female representatives of various gram panchayats in Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu was selected for this study. Therefore, this paper attempts to examine the issues and factors that encourage women representatives to participate in the Gram Panchayats.