Women in Governing Institutions in South Asia

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxviii

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2. Introduction

   • Nizam Ahmed

   Pages 1-13

3. Women in Parliament

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 15-15

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   2. Alangkar or Ahangkar? Reserved-Seat Women Members in the Bangladesh Parliament

      • Nizam Ahmed, Sadik Hasan

      Pages 17-39

   3. Women in Parliament—Entering the Public Male Domain in Bhutan

      • Sonam Chuki

      Pages 41-58

   4. Deepening Democracy in India: The Role of Women Parliamentarians and Their Challenges

      • Sangita Dhal, Bidyut Chakrabarty

      Pages 59-77

   5. Women in the Parliament: Changing Gender Dynamics in the Political Sphere in Nepal

      • Punam Yadav

      Pages 79-96

   6. Who Speaks for Women in Parliament? Patriarchy and Women MNAs in Pakistan

      • Nusrat Jahan Chowdhury

      Pages 97-116

   7. Gender Inclusive Governance: Representation of Women in National and Provincial Political Bodies in Sri Lanka

      • Kamala Liyanage

      Pages 117-137

4. Women in Civil Service

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 139-139

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   2. Balancing Work and Family: Women in Bangladesh Civil Service

      • Nishat Afroze Ahmed, Ferdous Jahan

      Pages 141-161

   3. Women in the Bhutanese Bureaucracy

      • Kunzang Lhamu

      Pages 163-174

   4. Women in Civil Service in India

      • Shivani Singh

      Pages 175-191

   5. Limits of Inclusion: Women’s Participation in Nepalese Civil Service

      • Narendra Raj Paudel

      Pages 193-208

   6. Women in Pakistan Civil Service

      • Nighat Ghulam Ansari

      Pages 209-227

   7. Women in Administrative Service in Sri Lanka

      • M. A. F. Anwara Nilmi, Darshi Thoradeniya

      Pages 229-242

5. Women in Local Government

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 243-243

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   2. Women’s Representation and Participation in Local Government in Bangladesh: New Openings and Remaining Barriers

      • Maheen Sultan

      Pages 245-265

   3. Proxy or Agency? Women in Rural Local Government in India

      • Prakash Chand

      Pages 267-284

   4. Gender and Local Governance in Pakistan

      • Nasira Jabeen, Umm-e-Farwa Mubasher

      Pages 285-304

This edited volume examines policies aimed at increasing the representation of women in governing institutions in six South Asian countries. Divided into three parts, it addresses the implications of uniformity and diversity for the substantive representation of women in parliament, civil service and local government. The contributing authors explore the scope and limits of ‘positive discriminatory policies’ within distinct country contexts, and the implications of the lack of such policies in other countries. Their findings shed new light on the extent to which the higher presence of women in different governing institutions matters, particularly in respect of promoting women’s issues; and also on the way men and women in different governing institutions look upon each other’s roles and adopt strategies for mutual adjustment. This innovative collection will appeal to students and scholars of gender studies, public policy and administration, international relations, law and political science.

• gender mainstreaming
• positive discriminatory policies
• representation of women
• quota system
• women in local government
• women in civil service
• women in parliament
• inclusive governance
• female lawmakers
• mutual adjustment
• feminist legislation
• reserved seat
• women as voters
• double day work
• elected women representatives
• proportional representation of women
• self-selection
• women in development

“This book fills a gap in the literature on women and politics, since comparative research on women in government in South Asia has only been limited so far. The book analyses the changes, however slow, for women in parliament, in local government and also as civil servants, which makes it particularly interesting, because of the longstanding power of the bureaucracy in this region.” (Drude Dahlerup, Professor of Political Science, University of Stockholm, Sweden)

“By providing a multi-scalar and regional perspective on women's place in public life, Women in Governing Institutions in South Asia does great service to the feminist literature on governance as well as South Asian studies. The book takes a measured approach to women's role in parliaments, civil service and local government and analyses the challenges that women continue to face - personal and institutional - even as they progress in public life. Such comparative work is needed to support spread and improvement of gender equality policies across borders.” (Shirin M. Rai, Professor of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick, UK)

“This important contribution highlights the inclusion of women in the context of the changing nature of societies, political structures and forces in South Asia. Based on primary research by a group of experts on countries of the region, the book weaves together accounts of traditions, reforms, successes and failure of initiatives for gender equality in governing institutions. This timely and relevant volume contributes to the existing bank of knowledge and presents insight on the state of inclusion in the region. The book raises intellectually exciting questions and uses evidence to offer a better understanding of developments on the ground and emerging trends on gender equality in South Asia and beyond. Findings of this highly recommended book will be useful for generating debates on strategies for inclusion and developing a framework for analyzing the state of inclusion in developing countries.” (Ahmed Shafiqul Huque, Professor of Political Science, McMaster University, Canada)

• University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh

  Nizam Ahmed

Nizam Ahmed is Professor of Public Administration at the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. His previous books include Public Policy and Governance in Bangladesh (2016), and Parliaments in Asia (co-edited with Lord Norton, 1999).

Policies and ethics