Women participation in rural local bodies has changed the rural political landscape in the last decade. Women leading on many fronts face multifold challenges ranging from independence to gender-based discrimination and reinforcement. To understand the challenges before women and their ways to deal, the VUCCD team conducted an interview with Sarpanch Shilpa Gaikwad of Khanapur village in the Pune district. An interview is given below
By Shoaib Tadvi
Significant representation of women in local governance has played a crucial role in enhancing the decision-making process and ensuring the women’s issues are adequately addressed at the village level. Shilpa Sudhakar Gaikwad, Sarpanch of Khanapur village near Pune has been determined to engage with the people of the village, especially the women to solve their problems. For the last two years, she has looked after the complexities which women face in the society.
“Savitribai Phule and Mahatma Phule are my sources of inspiration.”
When asked about inspiration to be in public life and politics Shilpa Gaikwad says ,”I was persuaded by the well-known social workers, Savitribai Phule and her husband Mahatma Jyotiba Phule who took an initiative women empowerment, and their education, which changed the society & narrative towards women.”
Khanapur Gram Panchayat has a majority of women with six women and five men. The Maharashtra government had extended the reservation for women from 33% to 50 % in 2011 for women. ( https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/Maharashtra-Assembly-approves-50-quota-for-women-in-local-bodies/article14683126.ece/amp/ )
Shilpa Gaikwad thanked the former central minister and chief Nationalist Congress Party ( Sharadchandra Pawar) for increasing the percentage of reservation for women in local bodies.
She was aware about the status of women in the society. She finds male dominance is a major challenge in public life. When asked about the possibility of contesting without constitutional safeguards, she said, “No, according to our tradition women cannot be part of public life. First preference naturally for men.
“Even if I am a female Sarpanch, people give me that dignity but I do get disagreements as well. Many people have a generational belief that a female can not both lead as well as take care of her family. For me wealth is termed as learning and solving problems for these people. At the end these are people who will stand by you, and elect you, and judge you.”
Sarpanch Shilpa Gaikwad has taken several women centric initiatives since becoming head of the village. As many as 50 women from the village have been trained with stitching machines to start earning in the village. She asserts, “self earning is a major phase of empowerment. When women understand the structure and politics of money in their life that day will be a day of liberation for them.”
Sarpanch shilpa Gaikwad had a mission to make the village free from all waterborne diseases. Gram Panchayat has installed the filtration plants in the village for clean potable water. She said, “We have overcome the water supply issues that we dealt with. Providing clean and potable water is a major challenge. We have installed filtration points in the village.
She gives credit to the constitutional shield and democratic legacy inherited in the past seventy five years. When asked about the gender based discrimination challenges in the administration, said, “Everything here works according to the laws,which are designed equally.’The work I do is for the society first, then for the government. I am not here for the title or designation.
She further added, “ I encourage women to get out of their comfort zone and build good portfolios, to create their own identity. ‘I believe that we should take the benefit from the schemes introduced by the government like various schemes.. A woman should herself take an initiative. Knowledge is the key. A woman in today’s era can’t be dependent on men.”
“We have monthly meetings to discuss current topics. We organise a Gram Sabha every six months where women proactively get involved and share their problems. When we have Sarpanch Meetings, we discuss schemes like, self help groups, or job-related schemes or roles. I always put my thoughts and ideas, and help people, so they can get along with me.” She said when asked about her priorities.”
“I want my village to set an example for other villages in the district. My future plans for Khanapur are maintaining Zilla Parishad schools, taking in-charge of their meals and water. I want to install CCTV cameras in the village along with the touch screen TV facilities to monitor the activities of the villagers considering the women’s safety.”
By Shoaib Tadvi
Shoaib Tadvi is second year student of Bachelor of Journalism and Mass communication at Vishwakarma University. He writes about women empowerment, LGBTQ+ community and other contemporary issues.
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