Skip to main content

'Fewer opportunities': Why Indian girls appear to be less engaged in politics than boys

By Sara Wilf* 

Girls in India report being less interested and engaged in politics than boys and cite fewer opportunities to participate in politics, we found in a recent survey of youth across India.
Further, although political interest and engagement was higher for older boys (ages 18-22) than younger boys (ages 14-17), girls’ political interest and engagement stagnated across age groups.
I study young people’s political development, and in the fall of 2022 I collaborated on a study with Indian nonprofit Kuviraa. I am on the advisory board at Kuviraa, which aims to increase girls’ engagement in politics. We used an Instagram ad to survey over 600 youth ages 14-22 who lived in nearly 30 cities across India.
We found that just over half (51%) of boys considered themselves politically engaged compared with less than a third (29%) of girls. We also measured the survey participants’ level of political engagement based on five behaviors, including sharing political posts online, attending rallies and contacting government officials. We found that boys and girls age 17 and under had similar levels of political engagement. However, boys’ engagement became much higher than girls once they were 18 and older.
Further, boys had lower awareness than girls of the structural barriers women face in Indian politics. For example, 74% of the girls surveyed agreed that “it is more difficult in our society for women to become elected officials” compared with 54% of the boys. We found that girls’ awareness was higher with age, whereas boys followed the opposite trajectory, with lower awareness in the older age group.
We also explored possible predictors of youths’ political engagement such as public speaking skills or having a sense that they are able to affect politics. We found that the two significant factors that shaped youths’ political engagement were having parents who discuss politics with their children and parents who encourage their children to engage in politics. The effect was less for girls but still significant.
Finally, we analyzed over 430 open-ended responses to explore how participants explained gender disparities in Indian politics. In these responses, we noticed a pattern: Boys tended to attribute gender disparities in politics to individual women’s choices. 
Just over half (51%) of boys considered themselves politically engaged compared with less than a third (29%) of girls
“Women don’t take the initiative to stand as a candidate,” one 18-year-old boy explained. Meanwhile, girl respondents tended to emphasize structural forces at play. “It is a common mindset that women should work at home even today,” a 17-year-old girl wrote. “It’s clearly seen even in my family despite their modern mindset.”

Why it matters

Women’s political representation is important to democracy and societal progress. Studies of India’s local councils have shown that having more women political leaders leads to more policies catered to women. More women representatives also improves child health and education indicators and can lead to more lasting peace negotiations.
With India’s general elections coming up in 2024, a conversation about the importance of increasing women’s political representation is particularly timely. India’s Parliament recently passed one of the most progressive bills in any democracy to reserve a third of seats for women. Currently, Indian women vote in high numbers but make up just 14% of Parliament.

What’s next

Our findings suggest that parents simply talking to their children about politics, and encouraging them to engage, can have substantial effects on girls’ political interest and engagement. Yet more resources are needed to teach parents how to have these conversations, particularly with younger children.
It is also critical that boys understand the structural causes of gender inequities in Indian politics. That way they can be enlisted as allies in overcoming obstacles to women’s political engagement.
---
*PhD Candidate in Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles. Source: The Conversation

Comments

TRENDING

Hyderabad protest demands end to Operation Kagar as senior Maoist leaders killed in encounter

By Harsh Thakor*  A protest was held on June 17 at Indira Park in Hyderabad by the Shanti Charchala Committee, calling for an end to Operation Kagar and the start of peace talks with Maoist groups. The event brought together representatives from several political parties and civil society organizations. Among those who addressed the gathering were CPI (ML) New Democracy Central Committee member Vemulapalli Venkatramayya, along with leaders from the Congress, BRS, CPI, CPM, Telangana Janasamithi, MCPI, SUCI, CPI ML, RSP, and VCK. The programme also featured performances by cultural groups such as CLC, HRF, TVV, Arunodaya, Praja Kala Mandali, and Praja Natya Mandali. Public figures including actors Narayana Murthy and Tudundebba Upendar and academics like Professor Anver Khan and Professor Vinayaka Reddy participated as speakers.

Food security crisis persists in Gujarat despite NFSA: Survey reveals grim ground reality

By A Representative  A new field-based survey conducted in January 2025 across Dahod, Panchmahals, Morbi, and Bhavnagar districts has revealed alarming levels of food insecurity among vulnerable communities in Gujarat, ten years after the implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Conducted by Anandi – Area Networking and Development Initiatives (ASAA) and community organisations working with mahila sangathans, the Gujarat Food Security Survey covered 1,261 households, purposively chosen to reflect the experiences of marginalised populations including Adivasis, OBCs, single women, the disabled, and the elderly. The findings suggest that despite the promises of NFSA and wide coverage under the Public Distribution System (PDS), food deprivation remains widespread and systemic failures continue to exclude the most vulnerable.

Land under siege: A silent crisis, desertification is threatening India’s future

By Raj Kumar Sinha*  Desertification is emerging as one of the gravest environmental challenges of our time. Marked annually on June 17, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought reminds us that the fate of our planet’s land—and the billions who depend on it—is hanging in the balance.

Victim to cricketing politics, Alvin Kalicharan was a most organized left handed batsman

By Harsh Thakor* On March 21st Alvin Kalicharan celebrates his 75th birthday. Sadly, his exploits have been forgotten or overlooked. Arguably no left handed batsman was technically sounder or more organized than this little man. Kalicharan was classed as a left-handed version of Rohan Kanhai. Possibly no left-handed batsmen to such a degree blend technical perfection with artistry and power.

Central London discussion to spotlight LGBTQ+ ex-Muslim rights and persecution

By A Representative   On June 13, 2025, the Dissident Club in Central London will host a public discussion to mark the 18th anniversary of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) and to commemorate World Refugee Day. The event, scheduled from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, will feature speakers Ali Malik, Maryam Namazie, and Taha Siddiqui, who are expected to address the intersecting challenges faced by LGBTQ+ ex-Muslims globally.

Citizens demand judicial probe into Ahmedabad plane crash, cite neglect of intern doctors, victims' families

By A Representative    A wide coalition of concerned citizens, academics, medical professionals, social activists, and public intellectuals has submitted a petition to the Prime Minister of India demanding an urgent judicial inquiry into the recent tragic airplane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed over 240 lives. The petition, coordinated by the Movement for Secular Democracy (MSD), calls for a high-level judicial committee, headed by a retired High Court justice and comprising eminent citizens, to investigate the incident beyond the scope of the existing technical committee.

Better halves lead the way as organic farmers, entrepreneurs and social reformers

By Bharat Dogra  Two major challenges continue to limit the full participation of rural women in development. First, their crucial roles, potential, and capabilities often remain underrecognized. Second, even when women are encouraged to take on broader responsibilities, the overarching development models may not align with their needs or perspectives and may even appear counterproductive. Under such conditions, it is unrealistic to expect women to engage as enthusiastic and creative participants.

Hope from the Amazon: Land rights, indigenous voices, and the winds of change in Latin America

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  After several days of travel and digital silence, I returned from a rare and deeply moving journey into the Amazon region of Colombia. It was not just another field trip, but an opportunity to witness the pulse of Latin America’s land rights movement, firsthand.

Lepa Radić: A symbol of defiance and resistance, of fight against oppression

By Harsh Thakor*  December 29th marks the centenary of the birth of Lepa Radić, a Yugoslav Partisan whose courage during World War II continues to resonate through history. Born on December 19, 1925, in the village of GaÅ¡nica in what is now Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lepa Radić was only 15 when the Axis powers invaded Yugoslavia in April 1941. In response to the occupation, she joined the Partisan resistance, eventually becoming one of its most revered figures. At the age of 17, she was executed by the Nazis for her involvement, refusing until her death to betray her comrades.