There is an old African proverb that says, “Until the lions have their own historians, histories of the hunt will glorify the hunter.”

 

As is common knowledge, while the male lion’s mane incites our imagination, it is actually the lionesses that bring in food and ensure survival of the species. As Renana Jhavwala of SEWA and member of UN Secretary General’s High Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment aptly says, “Women's work is invisible … women are at the base of the economic pyramid. Women are stuck on a 'sticky floor' of low technology, low productivity, low skills, low earnings and low dignity.” Rural women in the Asia-Pacific region make critical contributions to household production and national food security, yet their contribution is hardly acknowledged.

 

The credit for the success of Brazil’s conditional cash transfer programme, Bolsa familia, goes to women. The programme rewards families for sending their children to school and taking them for regular health check- ups. This scheme has pulled millions out of poverty.   The state tends to believe women are more reliable than men. In Mexico, a similar programme, Oportunidades, is available exclusively to women.

 

There is strong empirical evidence to suggest that money in the hands of the mother increases expenditure on children. There is a strong positive correlation between women’s status and economic/social development. Policy makers across the world have placed great emphasis on gender equality. The experience suggests that economic development alone is not enough to bring about equality. What is needed is policy action. This is where the importance of women’s political empowerment comes. Democracy in the 21st century is moving towards equity and inclusion. This is the underlying message of citizens’ movements across the world. And with increasing role of women at the policy level and in institutions of government, democracy can become ‘politics of difference’ and ‘politics of presence.’

There is an old African proverb that says, “Until the lions have their own historians, histories of the hunt will glorify the hunter.”

 

As is common knowledge, while the male lion’s mane incites our imagination, it is actually the lionesses that bring in food and ensure survival of the species. As Renana Jhavwala of SEWA and member of UN Secretary General’s High Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment aptly says, “Women's work is invisible … women are at the base of the economic pyramid. Women are stuck on a 'sticky floor' of low technology, low productivity, low skills, low earnings and low dignity.” Rural women in the Asia-Pacific region make critical contributions to household production and national food security, yet their contribution is hardly acknowledged.

 

The credit for the success of Brazil’s conditional cash transfer programme, Bolsa familia, goes to women. The programme rewards families for sending their children to school and taking them for regular health check- ups. This scheme has pulled millions out of poverty.   The state tends to believe women are more reliable than men. In Mexico, a similar programme, Oportunidades, is available exclusively to women.

 

There is strong empirical evidence to suggest that money in the hands of the mother increases expenditure on children. There is a strong positive correlation between women’s status and economic/social development. Policy makers across the world have placed great emphasis on gender equality. The experience suggests that economic development alone is not enough to bring about equality. What is needed is policy action. This is where the importance of women’s political empowerment comes. Democracy in the 21st century is moving towards equity and inclusion. This is the underlying message of citizens’ movements across the world. And with increasing role of women at the policy level and in institutions of government, democracy can become ‘politics of difference’ and ‘politics of presence.’