The Complexity of Heuristic Structure of Gender Intersectionality and Statutory Political Participation for Women in India: Exploring Structural Challenges

Abstract

The intersectionality dynamics associated with the political participation of women outlines a challenging context for policy-makers and political institutions. The friction witnessed within the existing structural systems and sub-systems becomes complex due to the interplay of prevalent inequities such as caste, class, gender, and different forms of intersectionality. In India, statutory reservation guarantees access by historically disadvantaged classes to representation in government and other institutions. While the statutory reservation is viewed as an effective empowering instrument for the equitable political participation of women, the pre-existing and emerging forms of intersectionality and its complex manifestation imply a need for comprehensive analysis of its possible impact. There is a critical need to consider multi-faceted gender intersectionality, its social and institutional modalities, and resultant empowerment dynamics to ensure women’s equitable political participation in the constitutional democratic system.