Poster Women Archives: Political Participation

In 1992 the 74th Amendment to the Indian Constitution brought in 33 per cent reservation for women in village and municipal elections. At first the move was greeted with some skepticism. A common reaction at the time, and one that has considerable currency even today, was that the women who would come into positions of political power on reserved seats would be mere proxies for their men. Women like 50-year old Ranganayagi, a Scheduled Caste woman from Tamil Nadu, proved this wrong. Not only did she confront intimidation and terrible violence to stand for election, but once in power, worked hard on village development and particularly on the needs of poor, scheduled caste women. All over India, of the million plus women who hold power as a result of the 74th Amendment, hundreds of thousands are working to change the structures of power at the grassroots level. The feminization and democratization of the rural public sphere has been one of the most significant developments in the women's movement in India. However, many women, especially those who belong to lower and backward castes and classes, have had to face tremendous opposition in the form of unprecedented violence, threats and intimidation. A similar move to reserve a third of elected posts for women in parliament has faced much stronger opposition.

Women's march to Delhi to demand a law against domestic violence.
Source: Action India, National Women’s Network for Domestic Violence
Location: New Delhi, Delhi
Language: English, Hindi

A demand for 33 per cent reservation for women in panchayats.
Source: Sthaniya Swashasan evam Uttardayi Nagrikta Sansthan
Location: Rajasthan
Language: Hindi

Poster by Vama showing a range of issues on which politician routinely let women down.
Source: Vama Uttar Pradesh Mahila Sangathan
Location: Uttar Pradesh
Language: Hindi
Other details: Portrait, monochrome, paper

A call for women to step out of their homes and fight for their rights.
Source: Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)
Location: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Language: Hindi
Other Details: Portrait, colour, paper

Demanding the right to own land and be educated.
Source: School of Women's Studies and Sanshrishti
Location: Orissa
Language: English

Riding towards a better future.
Source: Mahila Patchwork Co-op Society
Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Language: Hindi, English

Call for more participation of women in local governance.
Source: Search-Rajya Sansadhan
Kendra
Location: Haryana
Language: Hindi

This poster was printed especially for a training program conducted by Asmita to encourage local self governance. This training program was started almost 15 years ago and over 14,000 women have participated in it.
Source: Asmita
Location: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Other details: Landscape, brown and black, paper

Women as decision makers.
Source: Ekta Mahila Manch
Location, Ranchi, Bihar
Language: Hindi

Recognizing the power of her vote.
Source: Indian Association of Women’s Studies Camp
Location: New Delhi, Delhi
Language: Hindi

Equal participation of women in the village council.
Source: Centre for World Solidarity
Location: Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Language: Telugu