Democracy
In Ladakh
Marginalized Women
By Stanzin Dawa
03 April, 2006
Countercurrents.org
The
life of a community begins to end the day its people become silent about
things that matter. I am simply trying to break the silence because
every time neither the silence is gold nor the speech is silver. Let
the echo of the breaking of the silence be reached to the hills and
valleys of Ladakh. The surface of the Ladakh is covered with a thin
gray layer of democratic fabric. Ladakh being a part of India is also
having a democratic form of government at the local level (Ladakh Autonomous
Hill development Council Leh and Kargil respectively). In order for
Ladakh to achieve its full economic, social and political potential,
all of its citizens must have an equal opportunity to participate in
the democratic process. As Abraham Lincoln stated that democracy is
a form of government by the people, for the people and of the people.
But democracy in Ladakh doesn't consider women as people, why? Where
are the women representation and their leadership in the local democratic
set up (Ladakh Autonomous Hill development Council Leh and Kargil respectively)?
It's shocking that women representation in the existing council of both
Leh and Kargil absolutely does not exist. Why their role is confine
to the election process? Have we forgotten or ignored the women's contributions
in all the socio political struggles in Ladakh? For whom are we fighting
for the union territory for Ladakh? If we go by the prevailing attitudes
and practices of Ladakh's politics it's only the men who would get the
real benefits from the union territory. If Ladakh politics could not
give due representation to the women in the existing government; what's
the guarantee that union territory is not going to marginalized the
women.
The representative form of
democracy has little meanings unless we make it a participatory one.
Democracy is not a spectator sport, Ladakhi women deserved to be an
active contributor in the local political democracy. Democracy hardly
exists for women in Ladakh; women are still not admitted as full and
equal members and citizens in the local government and political set
up. In the more than half a century political history of Ladakh after
India's independence Ladakh could manage to produce only one women candidate
as a member of parliament in the Indian parliament. Point to be noted
here is that she was not an ordinary woman; she was the queen of Ladakh.
The mileage of being belongs to the royal family could be an important
factor. But here our concern is not the privileged minority but the
underprivileged majority who are ignored, neglected and alienated from
the whole process of democratic functioning of the governance and leadership
except their participation during the election period. At the dawn of
the twenty-first century, Ladakhi political thinkers can no longer ignore
the fact that humanity and Ladakh is made up of two sexes, not just
MALE species.
"…women in Ladakh
have enjoyed that freedom and empowerment for centuries. Today, the
status of women in Ladakh seems to be moving backwards…"
Yangchan Dolma1, while raising the issue of increasing rape cases in
Ladakh. Lack of women participation in the local government makes them
more vulnerable for the violations of their rights. There are many women
specific issues which can be dealt and understood by women only. Marginalization
of women participation in the democratic functioning of the government
means that women have no say in shaping the destiny of Ladakh's education,
health, infrastructure, economy, culture, language, politics and relations.
Can we expect our society to be peaceful and progressive without adequate
involvement of women in the policy making body? Is society to be blamed
for this misconception that women do not hold important roles in the
local government and participate in making important decisions for Ladakh?
I have asked few of university
going Ladakhi girls about their views on gender discrimination in Ladakh.
Initially they have consensus that gender discrimination is not an issue
in Ladakh. They have supported their arguments with the freedom to wear
the dresses of their choice, go to the places of their interest, no
pardah system etc. May be their understanding of gender discrimination
was limited to the layers above the skin. May be they are conditioned
to think that everything is fine. Later I have questioned them; "How
many Ladakhi women you know who are popular political leaders, religious
leaders, village leaders (goba) or sarpanch; of course not successful
women government officials?" While stressing on their grey matters
they were desperately looking for names, eventually they were helpless
to accept that gender discrimination in Ladakh is strategically institutionalized.
Looking at the facts, women make up 44.6 percent of the total population
in Leh, strange how such a big percentage of population has no representation
in the local government body. Even sex ratio in Ladakh is much below
the national level its 805 female against 1000 male in Leh where as
its 933 female against 1000 males in case of India. The female literacy
rate in Leh is very poor compare to the male literacy rate (Female literacy
rate is 50.03 percent where as male literacy rate is 71.98) according
to the 2001census. These are not mere figures; but are some harsh silent
truths.
"Social status of women
in Ladakh is better than women of other parts of India. Yet it is difficult
to place them equal to men, and definitely not higher. Women in Ladakh
can eat, drink, sing and dance together with male counterparts"
Phuntsog Dorjay, Pelik2 My dear Phuntsog I do agree with you that women
in Ladakh are free to eat, sing, dance with male counterparts but that's
not everything. The real freedom in a modern democratic society can
be measured by people's participation in the governance and policy making
irrespective of sex, religion, caste etc. I don't see Ladakhi women
are free in the real sense, as they don't have any say in the policy
making. As the council is a male oligarchy.
Ladakhi women's plays a significant
traditional role as care givers to children, family, domestic and social
affairs. For women, these responsibilities build an awareness of issues
concerning human needs such as agriculture, environment, health, education,
food supplies, water and sewerage, garbage disposal, and community safety.
Ladakhi women are more active in community participation and social
gatherings. As large number of Ladakhi men are serving in the army,
engaged in tourism, absorbed with monastery affairs as monk. Women are
the most active and dynamic but over burdened and neglected as an agent
of social change. The daily work of making ends meet, the preoccupation
with the health and safety of the family, worrying about those unglamorous
details of daily life, are matters that many men simply are not concerned
about. Women in Ladakh are more skillful and hard working than men in
many respects. Their involvement in the governance of the local government
can immensely facilitate to promote the larger interest of Ladakh. The
renowned gynecologist Dr Lhadol, Director AIR, Tsering Angmo and Tsering
Dolkar, Spalzes Angmo, Judicial Service, Nilza Angmo IAS, Rigzin Wangmo
the athlete and many successful Ladakhi women those who have excelled
in different fields, they all are lucky because the recruitment is entirely
based on merit not on the basis of sex, like local politics. We have
many women leaders in the social sectors who have significantly contributed
for Ladakh development. Some of the prominent leaders are Sarla Chhewang,
President Mahila Mandal, Razia Sultan, Director LEHO, Anay Palmo, President
LNA, all the nucleus members of the women alliance and Halena Norberg
Hodge, we know that she is not a Ladakhi but the footprints of her contributions
and accomplishments can be seen like fortune lines in the palm. While
having deep respect for contributions by Ladakhi women I must apologize
to those women whose names I could not mention due to space constraints.
I was fortunate to work with some of these women and closely observed
their level of commitment and understanding of the issues, its worth
APPRECIATING with capital letters. In 2003 only three girls from Leh
could manage to qualify for the Kashmir Administrative Service Examination,
it also proves that Ladakhi women have got the aptitude for a good administrator
and manager. The perfection of their performances and achievements need
to be considered to break the male stereotyped attitude for marginalizing
women from participating in the local government and political leadership.
In a survey conducted by Ladags Melong (September 2004 issue) among
the young people of Ladakh, it was found that only 41 percent were satisfied
with politician's performance. It means categorically we can say that
only 41 percent were satisfied with male politician's performances because
the democracy in Ladakh has marginalized the women participation.
What does it mean? It means
we should not just sit back and alienate women's participation in the
governance and political leadership who also have fought hard for political
autonomy for Ladakh at every stage? We need to realize that this is
'the dawn of a new century' and the role of the female should indeed
be reevaluated. The constitutional protection of one third representation
to women in the Panchayati Raj institutions under the 73rd and 74th
amendment to the Indian Constitution was a land mark steps taken by
the Indian parliament to make the representative democracy a participatory
one. The demand for 33 percent reservation was based on the research
conducted in the United States in the 1970s, on women participation
in business, which showed that 30 percent representation by minorities
could significantly influence the majority verdict. Drude Dehlerup of
the University of Stockholm extended these findings to women reservation
in politics. She observed that while quotas are necessary to jump start
the process of equality, the demand for quotas is a manifestation of
growing impatience with unequal political and social citizenship3. I
think it takes a lot of courage to release something seemingly secure
and to accept the new. As there is no real security in what is no longer
meaningful and relevant. Seeing the serious need of women participation
in the local government in Ladakh I strongly propose and appeal for
similar representation in the council's body by introducing an amendment
in the existing constitution of the council. The civil societies, women's
groups, local LIBERAL political parties and concerned individuals should
lobby for bringing such an amendment in the existing constitution of
the council in order to make our democracy a democratic in the real
sense.
1 Yangchan Dolma, a budding
woman Journalist (Ladags Melong; issue April 2004)
2 Phuntsog Dorjay Pelik, a Young Ladakhi Scholar (Ladags Melong issue
August 2002)
3 Social Watch Report 2006
The readers and those who have concerned for domocracy and women empowerment
resquested to write letters to following leaders of Ladakh, for making
the system of governance more democratic with due representation of
women.
Thupstan Chhewang
Member Parliamen
Present Address
9-Meena Bagh
Maulana Azad Road,
New Delhi 110011
(011) 23795014
Nawang Rigze
Cabinet Minister
Power and Industry
J&K Government
India
Kargil Council Secretariat
Chairman / Chief Executive
Councilor, LAHDC Kargil [email protected]
Executive Councilor, PWD
& Power, LAHDC Kargil: [email protected]
Executive Councilor, Tourism
& Industries, LAHDC Kargil: [email protected]
Executive Councilor, Agriculture,
LAHDC Kargil:
[email protected]
Deputy Commissioner / Chief
Executive Officer, LAHDC Kargil: [email protected]
Sh Chering Dorjay Hon'ble
Chief Executive Councillor: [email protected]
Sh Tsering Nurboo Lampa Executive Councillor (Agriculture): ec_agri@j
k.nic.in
Sh Dorjay Motup Executive Councillor ( Health): [email protected]
Sh. Tsewang Rigzin Executive Councillor (Education) [email protected]
Shri Mohd Khan Executive Councillor (Minority Affairs) [email protected]
Shri Moses Kunzang Private Secretary to CEC [email protected]
Shri M.K. Dwivedi, IAS Deputy Commissioner
[email protected]