New Delhi: Delhi-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) Women’s Association for Training, Empowerment, and Resettlement (WATER) launched a massive campaign urging people to vote and choose a woman candidate in their constituency.
To ensure women candidates’ victory, the NGO is providing extensive social media and ground support to every woman candidate. WATER’s President Shilpi Arora has come up with a unique idea to motivate women candidates, who are trying their luck to rise in politics by offering them a small token ‘Good Luck Shagun’.
Since its inception, NGO WATER demanded equal representation of women in legislation for a fair practice of democratic politics.
Meanwhile, the NGO’s nationally acclaimed, ‘Ab Hai Meri Baari’ (now it’s my turn) campaign is aimed towards an equal opportunity to women representation in the political sphere.
Arora believes that if women can be successful in the sphere of life, they have the right to represent themselves on the political front too.
According to her, a women leader would be more efficient to reduce crime against women and women’s majority in politics would be beneficial to frame a new set of laws and order against rising incidents of rapes to put a stop to the Nirbhaya like scenario again. Unfortunately, the Union Budget for 2020-2021 has disappointed women in respect of measures for their safety and security.
Of the 672 nominees fielded across the 70 seats for the February 8 Delhi State Assembly elections, only 79 (or 11.75 per cent) are women. The three big parties – AAP, BJP, and Congress – have given tickets to only 24 women. The share is just 11.42 per cent.
The NGO recently organised a big round table discussion over women’s participation in politics with the chief spokespersons of major regional and national political parties.
A letter requesting to grant more tickets to women candidates along with the findings and conclusion of the long discussion had been sent to the supremo of every political party. However, no party really seems to encourage the initiative on real grounds, again making Delhi elections a very narrow space for women.
“Delhi is a hotbed of politics and it is crucial to check what we are showcasing here”, said Shilpi Arora, President of WATER, while expressing her disappointment with the political entities of Delhi.
“Our mission is to drive politics towards a point where there is almost 50-50 representation of women in both the Houses of Parliament, state Assemblies and all elections, including civic bodies and panchayats”, she added.
“We request Delhi people to vote and choose a competent woman leader to represent their constituency. Modern women of young India are capable leaders. The only thing they need is your favourable support and, if they get the chance, I am sure, they will redefine political spectrum for the good”, said Arora.