Evescape

Goa’s political landscape features a staggering paradox. Despite women consistently turning out in large numbers as voter blocks (51.36%) and outperforming structural expectations across social sectors, the state's legislative assembly reflects a dismal record for gender diversity. In the political discourse, two high-profile proclamations from both sides of the aisle have prompted EVESCAPE to analyze whether these assertions are genuine milestones or merely tactical election rhetoric.   1. The Constituency Relinquishment Rhetoric: Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant made a highly publicized claim stating that he was personally ready to give up his own legislative constituency in favor of a woman candidate during the campaign for Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.  2. The 50% Intent from GPCC: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar publicly announced that his party is willing to give up to 50% tickets to women.  Adding substance to this rhetoric, Ch...

The anti-incumbency in Goa is real. But as long as the opposition remains divided, and defection pays more than democracy punishes, the BJP retains the tools required to engineer its way back to power writes  Rajeshree Nagarsekar   -------------------------------- A s Goa inches closer toward the 2027 Assembly elections, the air in political circles, newsroom debates, homes, markets, local taverns, whichever -- is thick with a fundamental question: can the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) survive 15 years of accumulated voter fatigue? For everyone it is obvious that the growing anxieties over unplanned infrastructure growth, rampant land conversions, serious environmental degradation and rising unemployment (to name a few) and the largely evident voter (or incumbency) fatigue, has triggered anti-incumbency across the state. Yet, in Goa's politics, as most political pundits conclude -- public resentment rarely translates into a straightforward electoral verdict. Arguably, g...

  Goa’s democratic soul can live  and thrive if the majority of voters refuse to treat their democratic right as a transaction. Simultaneous, this can open up a powerful, untapped pathway for clean youth and women candidate faces to break the traditional political mould in Goa. Because when money loses its purchasing power at the ballot box, a candidate's actual currency becomes their character, their vision, and their commitment to the community explains  Rajeshree Nagarsekar  ------------------------------------------- Every election season, a familiar narrative dominates the local discourse in Goa. Drawing-room discussions, prime-time debates, and analytical columns inevitably lean into a jaded narrative: that the Goan electorate has succumbed entirely to the culture of cash-for-votes. We hear sweeping statements about how voters are bought with freebies, money, or sudden pre-election largesse.  And every time I hear about cash for votes, I feel discouraged...

  When a woman’s clothes are torn during a police crackdown, not just democratic protocol but basic human dignity is violated and shattered .  By Rajeshree Nagarsekar  / _____________________ Under statutory legal provisions, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) guidelines, etc; the state is legally bound to protect the modesty of a woman during crowd control operations. Most importantly the reference to the landmark Supreme Court judgments -- the Sheela Barse vs. State of Maharashtra has to be made. These judgments arising from Public Interest Litigation (PIL) initiated by independent journalist Sheela Barse are said to have drastically reshaped the interpretation of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) by extending basic human rights, dignity, and legal protection to prisoners. It acts as a foundational constitutional shield and can be directly applied to safeguard the rights of female protestors who are detained or arrested by ...

Tokenism is no longer a viable electoral strategy. Therefore if the Congress party through its Goem Rakhan Yatra intends to stand as a genuine movement to "save Goa's identity", it must acknowledge that Goa's identity is fundamentally tied to its women. Converting the role of women, the frontline organizers of the yatra from mere campaign marchers to the larger role of legislative lawmakers by identifying their leadership qualities and giving them tickets is the most definitive way the party can demonstrate its commitment to a "progressive, equitable, and democratic" future for the state. The ongoing Goem Rakhan Yatra o f the Indian National Congress (INC) party currently held in Goa is highlighting a defining moment across Goa. The overwhelming and enthusiastic participation of women leading the campaign from the front lines including  AICC Co-In-Charge Dr. Anjali Nimbalkar, Mahila Congress Goa President Adv. Pratiksha Khalap, office bearers and grassroot v...

By Rajeshree Nagarsekar  Following a recent incident where a prominent Goan politician publicly used a sexist slur, EVESCAPE wrote an email to the leader strongly condemning the remark. However, in response to this persistent rhetoric, EVESCAPE has developed a public safety campaign aimed at challenging misogyny in public discourse, which will be rolled out shortly. Way too often have we seen some of our politicians (across party lines) thump their chest and bellow: “ Ami kaknam ghalunk na " (We have not worn bangles) -- meaning; we are not weak, fearful or passive.  Firstly, this old school rhetoric of weaponizing a traditional ornament as a synonym for cowardice is not only downright outdated but also illiterate to the core, politically self-defeating, and utterly  regressive, especially in a progressive state like Goa. Secondly, when politicians use this sexist rhetoric in their public discourse, they are insulting fifty percent of the electorate. In modern Goa, women...

Since the year 2011, the United Nations has been observing June 23 as International Widows Day. The day seeks to draw attention to the voices and experiences of widows and to galvanize the unique support that they need. While commemorating this event today, WE, a newly formed movement for widow rights in Goa, is urging the government for action towards achieving full rights and recognition for these 'invisible women' in the State of Goa. Before a law is enacted, the movement seeks support of the civil society to revisit it's stance on these practices and liberate these women from the unwarranted restrictions imposed on them by the society. Herwad panchayat in Maharashtra"s Kolhapur district marked the beginning of a movement to outlaw regressive widowhood practices. Subsequently the movement started gaining traction in Maharashtra, with other panchayats following suit and the state government directing panchayats across the state to adopt similar resolutions to end t...

Despite several existing legislations, international and national human rights instruments, the Indian Penal Code (IPC), The Goa Civil Code and continued efforts to address gender inequality, and atrocities  against women -- women still encounter discriminatory practices in varied forms. In particular, to note here are cultural or customary practices such as widowhood or funerary practices, which is nowhere enjoined by any of the religions as an imperative duty - have continued to perpetuate the subordinate position of women despite all the progress that we have made as a State. Exclusion of widows is a stark reality that a few of our political leaders and sections of society are sadly in denial. Moreover, widowhood practices are a violation of women’s rights to dignity and non-discrimination guaranteed in the Constitution of India (refer Art 14, Art 21). Years after sati was abolished and years after The Commission of Sati (prevention) Act, 1987, Act no 3 of 1988 to provide for mo...

Currently engaged, alongwith a host of social influencers, policy and law experts, in drafting a resolution and creating a forum to draft a policy document to demand a law to end discrimination against widows, my task include talking to various agencies, stakeholders, constitutional experts and social  reformers to understand the nity gritty of the proposed law, the complexity of the issue at hand, and the way forward.  Among the many that I am in conversation with on the subject is none other than the social reformer from Solapur himself -- Pramod Zinjade whose small initiative in Kolhapur"s Herwad village has scripted a movement in Maharashtra, and its ripple effect felt in Goa too -- with more than four panchayats in Goa already adopting resolutions to end discriminatory widowhood practices and ensure dignity of life, equal rights and inclusiveness to the widow. The Herwad village which passed the resolution on May 4 to become India's first village to adopt such a resoluti...

   It is now a given that the Eighth Goa Legislative Assembly that will be sworn in in March will again be "undemocratic" literally.  Why? Because on a basic level, a legislative assembly without the participation of half the state’s population is not democratic. Because the Constitution of India mandates equal civil and political rights to men and women.  All this because despite rhetorical commitment to gender parity in politics, major political parties - the INC and BJP (major contenders in the high decibel Goa assembly elections to be held on Monday) fall far short of that goal, going by the dismal number of women they have fielded as candidates.  Undemocratic, to my mind, because post elections, women will simply not be getting the kind of governance they deserve. This because we will not have enough women in decision-making or policy making roles -- not in roles of making laws. Not just these two, but clearly, political parties across the board have once a...

Political parties in the fray in Goa for the upcoming assembly polls have once again let the women down. Despite the female voter emerging as most assertive, showing greater participation, in the festival of democracy, as indicated by the ECI figures, parties have failed to walk the talk on women representation once again. This is unjust, and this time around, the women voters in Goa should stand up and take note.  --------------- According to ECI figures, among Goa's 11,10,884 electors, women outnumber men by3 1,460 . But Sadly. Irrespective of a few socio-economic strides, and cultural ethos which at the face of it atleast, project gender parity, Goa's low ranking in terms of representation of women in its 40 member Legislative Assembly -- despite having had a woman chief minister (Shashikala tai Kakodkar served as the Chief Minister of Goa, Daman and Diu on two occasions) -- is but a sad commentary on equality garanteed by the Constitution of India.  Every political party...

The shameful act of most political parties to field candidates with dubious credentials, and sending law breakers to become law makers is an extremely dangerous trend and should be a matter of serious concern to Goa's aware electorate .  The controversy over fielding of sitting MLA Antanasio Monserate in Panaji over Utpal Parrikar, son of former defence minister of India and Goa"s former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar, should refuse to die down among the literate electorate of the politically vibrant capital city.  Why? Because a party like the  Bharatiya Janata Party BJP), which has the distinction of being the largest political party in the world, with a strong cadre base, prefers to field an imported politician from an exactly opposite ideology, most importantly with criminal antecedents (alleged rape of a minor). And because the party has stooped such low in Goa that it has preferred winnability over credibility.  Though this case has come to haunt the st...

Of the many factors dotting the path to women empowerment in the state, significant to note is the severe lack of women in decision making positions, gender gap in paid work force, pay disparity, and issues concerning safety. ----------------------------- As per 2011 census, the percentage of female population of Goa is 49.32, with a sex ratio of 973, and the female literacy rate at 84.68. Furthermore, with highest GDP per capita among all states, named as the best-placed state in terms of infrastructure, rated as having the best quality of life by India’s National Commission on Population, and the third-highest ranking state in human development index, it may suit well for the government to project a rosy picture on the status of women in the state. Even as the Uniform Civil Code, women’s movement led by non-government organizations, individuals and non formal groups having deep insight into women’s concerns have accounted for initiatives aimed at empowering women, the efforts of succ...

 

..and the system failed her Even as abuses against domestic workers, taking place in private homes and hidden from the public eye go unreported, the recent case reported in Fatorda, of physical abuse of a woman domestic worker in forceful confinement -- failed to garner media and public attention.  However, the case brought to light the likely prevalence of such women trapped in situations of forced labor or trafficked into forced domestic work in conditions akin to slavery in Goa. The Case: On January 26, Linda Shirwaiker informed about a woman, aged around 50, working as domestic help for a family in Gogol Housing Board, who had been confined, and regularly assaulted by her employers. She went on to say that the woman had been subjected to physical assault and psychological torture for many years now. In a few hours, we went to the victim's house and found her alone, sitting outside the main door. After ensuring her employers were not around, we got her into a conversation. As sh...

  MATTERS of CONCERN Crimes Against Women  & Role of the Society Institutions supposedly expected to support, stand by and rally behind the victims of crime against women somehow seem to be providing only lip service or even missing from the scene when they are needed the most. When one talks to victims one realizes that bodies such as the One Stop Centers (North and South), Goa State Commission for Women, Victim Assistance Units,  Childrens Commission of Goa, etc;  grossly fail to reach out to the vulnerable and the victims, laments   SANGEETA NAIK. Cases of atrocities on women which come to limelight time and again and more importantly the reaction of the public to these cases makes one wonder. Is the modernity that we claim to have imbibed as an advanced civilization a mere eyewash? Just beneath this thin crust of modernity and civilizedness, are we still a group with a collective irrational, crude and cruel medieval mindset? With the exception of a few a...