Under the distinguished lecture series debate, Central University of Kashmir (CUKashmir) organized an online lecture on “The Women’s Reservation Bill: Constitutional Vision for Gender Equity & Democratic Representation in India,” by Smt. Rekha Sharma, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and former Chairperson, National Commission for Women.

Addressing the faculty members, research scholars and students, Smt. Rekha Sharma, described the Women’s Reservation Bill (WRB) as a historic step towards ensuring equitable political participation for women in India. “The Bill reflects the spirit of the Constitution by seeking to correct long-standing structural imbalances in political representation and by opening new avenues for women to actively participate in governance and decision-making processes,” she said.

In her address, she highlighted that despite significant progress in various sectors, women continue to remain underrepresented in legislative bodies. She noted that the WRB is not merely a legislative reform, but a corrective mechanism aimed at strengthening democracy by making it more inclusive and representative. “A truly vibrant democracy must reflect the voices and aspirations of all sections of society, especially women, who constitute nearly half of the population,” she remarked. Smt. Rekha Sharma elaborated on the challenges, such as socio-cultural barriers, lack of institutional support, and limited access to resources, that are impacting women in entering and sustaining roles in politics.

Smt. Rekha Sharma spoke about the broader implications of increased women’s representation in legislative bodies. She noted that greater participation of women often leads to more inclusive policymaking, particularly in areas such as health, education, and social welfare. She emphasised that women leaders bring unique perspectives and experiences that enrich the democratic process and contribute to more balanced and empathetic governance.

She emphasised that education and awareness are central to empowering women in leadership. “Political empowerment must go hand in hand with social and economic empowerment to achieve inclusive and holistic development.” Highlighting the pivotal role of educational institutions, she urged the universities and academic platforms to proactively promote dialogue on gender equity and constitutional values through Naari Shakthi Vandan Adhiniyam.

In her concluding remarks, Smt. Rekha Sharma urged the students and young scholars to actively participate in the democratic process through decision making and to contribute towards nation-building. Thereafter, the participants posed questions to the guest speaker and discussed various issues on the implementation of the Naari Shakthi Vandan Adhiniyam.

The programme was chaired by Prof. Naseema Chandakalayam, Controller of Examinations, outlining her contributions to public life and her role in advocating women’s rights and empowerment. The programme coordinator Dr. Himabindu praised the initiative of the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ravinder Nath for providing the platform to female teaching faculty, research scholars and students to share thoughts with the Member of Parliament, Smt Rekha Sharma, to discuss the implementation mechanism of the Women’s Reservation Bill.