The Indian government operates through a decentralized power structure, wherein local, self-governmental bodies serve at the grass-root level, divided and subdivided in order to offer representation to the citizen even within individual villages. Since 1988, 30 percent of the seats in different tiers of local governing bodies have been reserved for women. In an androcentric society where women have historically lacked freedom to work, govern, and choose their representation, participation in local politics and governance can serve to offer them the freedom and power to make impactful decision regarding themselves and their immediate society. Thereby, through these actions, they are able to function as social workers within their localities. Within this system, women are employed at the ground level, due to the assumption that they are societally positioned to understand the problem therein, and can ensure the enhancement of women’s conditions through their familiarity with their issues.However, Santhal women are minimally represented within their local governmental bodies. Despite the intentions behind the reservation implemented since 1988, their political situation has seen little improvement as of 2023.
This paper seeks to address why women participation is lower in local governmental bodies among the Santhal community in Bolpur, West Bengal, India. It also aims to explore how self-help groups may assist in enlightening the community under study regarding participation in local self-governance. Primary data is collected based on an ethnographic fieldwork in the Bolpur region of West Bengal. The secondary data is collected from published and unpublished sources.
