Women in Leadership Positions: A Study of Political Participation in the Context of Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

Women's participation in socio-political development is a key priority area at the
global level. In India, women's participation in leadership positions is not new. Indian
women have contributed significantly to leadership positions since the ancient period. The
present paper is an attempt to analyse the priority focus areas for women in the global
scenario and women's participation in governance and leadership. The study examines the
current status of women in leadership positions in India with special reference to Uttar
Pradesh. It examines the trends and outcomes of women’s participation in the elections of
the Lok Sabha during the period from 1999 to 2024. It analyses the extent and pattern of
women’s political engagement at the national level over time. In addition, the study
incorporates details of women representing Uttar Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha. Thus, the
research focuses on understanding the representation of Uttar Pradesh in the central
political framework of India, with special emphasis on women’s participation and
leadership. The present study forms a part of the project undertaken by the Indian Council
of Social Science Research (ICSSR), and the researcher gratefully acknowledges and
attributes due credit to them.