Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) participated in “Localizing the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way” Event

Posted 06 May 2024

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Held at UN Headquarters (New York), it highlighted role of EWRs in advancing localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the grassroots level.

Women in PRIs: India has more than 1.4 million EWRs, constituting around 46% of total PRI representatives.
- 73^rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 reserved 1/3^rd of electoral seats in the PRIs.
  - 22 States and UTs have provided a 50% reservation for women (2021).

Significance of EWRs:
- Improved developmental outcomes: EWRs have ensured better distribution of essential public goods.
  - Critical role in strengthening sustainable development at grassroot level.
- Social Change: Prioritise policies that contribute to more equitable and responsive local communities.
  - For instance, EWRs contributed to decreasing Total Fertility Rate, improving median age of marriage for women etc.
- Other: Deepening democracy and inclusive governance etc.

Concerns:
- Cultural Constraints: Undervaluation and neglection of contributions due to patriarchal social norms and stereotypes.
- Proxy Representation: Actual decision-making powers with husbands/male family members.
- Policy of rotation of reserved seats: EWRs could not extend their learned experience.
- Other: Domestic and caregiving responsibilities, apprehensions about ability, digital divide etc.

Initiatives: Leadership and Management Development Programme, Capacity-building Programme for EWRs, Drone Didi, Lakhpati Didi etc.

SDG localization is the process of transforming the SDGs into reality at the local level, in coherence with the national frameworks and in line with communities’ priorities.
- SDGs are a global agenda adopted by the UN in 2015, comprising 17 goals and 169 targets.
Localisation relates both to how local governments can support SDGs achievement through bottom-up action as well as how SDGs can provide a framework for local development policy.