Female voters can make 2019 India's 'year of women': Hinduja SP Shanu

emale voters hold the potential to be game-changers by playing a significant role in ensuring more gender-inclusive laws and policies, making the year 2019 India's "year of women", Chair of the Hinduja Bank, Switzerland, Hinduja SP Shanu said as the country readies for its upcoming crucial national elections.

Shanu said that as India heads to the polls this spring, it is important to note that more women are heading to the ballot than ever before, with voter turnout among women having been higher in several state elections in the country.
"More female voters are additionally likely to lead to more gender-inclusive laws and policies. Gender awareness not only transforms how candidates campaign, but also opens doors for more female candidates in the running, and greater opportunities for female leverage within national decision-making bodies," Shanu, the Chair of the Hinduja Foundation US, said in an opinion piece given to PTI.
Shanu pointed out that the upsurge in women voters exercising their democratic and constitutional right shows that the determination of women across India to have a voice and exercise their rights is on the rise.
She said women are fighting back across the political landscape around the world. She added that for the US, the year 2019 marks 'the year of women', with a record number of women 127 having entered Congress. Starting with Women's Marches in over 650 communities across the US, female activists worked together, forming a pragmatic network that saw four million people taking to the streets. Read More

Article Source -> Business Standard