'Do not wait for permission to lead': Dr Ranjana Kumari urges women to reclaim their space in governance

Parity is power, believes Dr Ranjana Kumari, as she urged women to claim their rightful space in governance, leadership, and policy-making. Speaking at SheSparks 2025 in Bengaluru, she recounted the decades-long struggle for legal and policy changes to support women's rights in India.

Kumari, who is the director for the Centre for Social Research, has been at the forefront of the women's movement for over 40 years. She detailed the systemic barriers that have historically kept women out of decision-making roles.

"We had no framework, no guardrails to protect women at home or at the workplace," she said, referring to the legal void before landmark legislation such as the Domestic Violence Act and laws against workplace harassment were enacted.

The fight for the Women's Reservation Bill was a focal point of her address. "For 27 years, we fought for it," Kumari said, recounting how the movement faced resistance from political leaders. She described how Members of Parliament had protested against the bill inside Parliament, with some declaring they would oppose it "over our dead bodies".

The legislation, aimed at reserving 33% of seats in Parliament and state assemblies for women, was met with repeated roadblocks before its eventual passage.

Kumari recalled the advocacy tactics that helped build momentum for policy change. "We knew that unless the country was convinced, unless the people were convinced, nothing would change," she said. Women’s rights groups organised a nationwide train journey, gathering signatures from citizens across cities and towns to push for the bill’s passage. Activists also staged direct confrontations with political leaders.

"We barged into the Prime Minister’s residence," she recounted, describing a moment when they demanded an audience with then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "We were told we had trespassed and could be arrested, but we held our ground."

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Despite these efforts, Kumari pointed out that India still lags in gender representation. "Globally, women hold 28% of parliamentary seats. In India, the figure stands at just 14%," she noted. Representation in state assemblies is even lower, with percentages ranging from 3% to 9% in different states.

The underrepresentation of women in decision-making roles extends beyond politics. Kumari highlighted the broader need for gender balance across industries and institutions. "If we are not at the table, we are at the receiving end," she said, adding that women's inclusion in leadership is essential for shaping policies that impact them. "Women are not just recipients of small benefits. It is a matter of constitutional rights, legal rights, and human rights."

She also called on women to assert themselves in professional spaces. "Please speak up. Many of us now have a seat at the table, but we hesitate to contribute. Our ideas are equally, perhaps more, important," she said. Citing her experience on Meta’s board, she pointed out that companies often fail to grasp the cultural and social realities of women, leading to decisions that do not account for their needs.

Kumari concluded by emphasizing the role of advocacy in achieving gender equity. "It is not enough to reject subordination; we must influence discussions and decisions," she said. The push for parity, she argued, must continue across all sectors.