Women’s Day: Number of Women in the Indian Parliament is Dismal

In terms of the proportion of women in Parliament, India has slipped from rank of 117 to 144 in 2016.

Only 12 percent of all Lok Sabha MPs are women. (Photo Courtesy: Lok Sabha TV)

While the 16th Lok Sabha may have had the highest number of women that the Lower House has ever had, it is still not nearly enough, The Times of India reported. In terms of the proportion of women in Parliament, India has slipped from a dismal rank of 117 among 188 countries in 2014 to an even worse 144 among 191 countries on February 1, 2016.

Less than 12 percent of all Lok Sabha MPs are women and in the Rajya Sabha, the figure is an equally meager 12.8 percent. Last week, President Pranab Mukherjee made a strong pitch for reviving the Constitution amendment Bill to give 33% reservation to women in Parliament.

62 women were elected to the Lok Sabha in the general elections in May 2014, and four more have been added over the last couple of years through by-elections. Countries that rank higher than India include several African and Latin American countries, as well as countries that were part of the old Soviet. Rwanda ranks No 1 with 63.8 percent women in the lower house of parliament and 38.5 percent in the upper house.