Call for action

WOMEN as LEADERS for CHANGE

Despite comprising more than 50 percent of the population, women continue to lack access to political leadership opportunities and resources at all levels of government. Women’s equal participation in decision-making is not only a demand for simple justice or democracy, but a necessary pre-condition for women’s interests to be taken into account. Governance structures which do not result in the equal participation of men and women, or their equal enjoyment of benefits from state interventions are by definition neither inclusive nor democratic.

Recognizing that over the last century women’s gains in the political arena in India has been slow and inadequate & realizing the fact that political parties formulate policy and set governance priorities and are therefore strategically placed to address the concerns of women -- the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sought to make women’s political participation one of its foremost priorities.

As AAP fundamentally believes that democracy should be a genuine partnership between men and women, initiating a forum to further this objective became the foremost requirement and therefore the Network of Women in AAP has been formed. The network with a Think Tank Committee within its ambit, proposes to organize a NATIONAL CONFERENCE entitled Women as Leaders for Change with primary aim to allow women in the party to meet one another, discuss issues, ideas and work to further the party's key agenda. Women need to be energized, and to know they’re not alone. The national conference will serve to refocus energy, provide a forum for solving problems or simply give participants a chance to motivate & demonstrate mutual support.

All women who are members of the party, are members of the state women’s wings/front shall be entitled to attend the national conference. The agenda shall be prepared by the Think Tank of the network. Items for inclusion in the agenda shall be called from all state wings/fronts and from individual women members/stakeholders.

The overall objective of the national conference will be to bring together voices of key actors in the gender equality and women’s empowerment arena, to update and discuss critical developments in the field and to assess the extent of implementation of commitments. The conference will be open to women who are leaders in their field and willing to use their position to influence policies that will help benefit women in India. Thus, the national conference will bring together female leaders/volunteers of the party from all over the country and will be the first ever large-scale meeting of females in AAP.

Most importantly, and much before the national conference, the Think Tank of the network will design common programs that will help activate all state women wings/fronts, build the organisation by including more women, develop verticals within the women wings/fronts, hold meetings and also organize conventions in some selected states -- with an objective of drumming up support for the national conference.

Even as the networking with state units has commenced through the Network of Women in AAP -- a need to establish a National Women Front (an umbrella organisation) with the sole purpose to devise key strategies to scale-up the party's efforts to foster gender equality in politics, parity in leadership, help promote women’s interests in party policy platforms and strengthen the demand for increasing women’s representation in decision making processes -- is felt.

The National Women Front will aim to increase the participation and effectiveness of women in political life through personal connect as well as utilizing technology enabled forum to provide access to critical resources and expertise, stimulate dialogue, create knowledge, and share experiences with each other with an aim to become the party's leading forum on women’s political participation of women as voters/ leaders/candidates/elected legislators.

In short, its objects will be: a) to further the objective/agenda/methods of the Party; (b) to promote the organisation of women in the Party; (c) to educate women politically; (d) to promote affirmative action programs in favour of women; and (e) to support the selection/election of women candidates.

The establishment of a Standing Committee for women’s policy within the National Women Front, will be a vital step towards affirmative action of attracting women into the party, to get the number of votes needed, to have influence in party decision making or policy forums and to serve as a comfortable place for women entering politics for the first time.
However, it is crucial to integrate the National Women Front or State Women Wings/Fronts into the structure of the party with this defined role, or it will run the risk of being marginalized and powerless.

The National Women Front will perform a critical double role: on the outside, work in support of the party but on the inside, work to transform unequal gender relations. Its main role should be to advise the party on gender-related policies, to educate party members on gender issues, and to organize and train women politically.