What does it mean to be a woman in power?

Being in power is not a pleasurable or entertaining game. But the fame and money draws both men and women into politics. Lot of questions has arisen about women becoming politicians. Men think that women are gentle and kind and this profession will not suit their character. But men’s attitudes have changed now that women have proved in their jobs and have climbed up the political ladder. To rise to the top of the field dominated by men is not so easy.

It is said that in Rwanda, where, 14 years after a massacre left nearly one million people dead, women make up nearly half of parliament;

In India, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) set an example by making a conscious move to bring many more women into decision-making levels and posts within the party.

It is said that very little has changed for Indian women in Politics since Independence and women are still a political minority. What may be the causes?

Some ridicule women saying they may not have time for politics because they need more time to make up rather than concentrating on serious issues. How unfair to women!

Also, women helping other women are a rarity and so they would not allow other women to enter into their parties.

Joke apart, politics was a respectable profession but now it has turned into opportunism and invariably politicians are looked at , with contempt. This may be a reason for women to hesitate to come forward to enter into politics.

Days which are spent away from the family is possibly more than that in any other profession. The crippling impact is mind boggling. They are forced to meet the complex demands of household management as well, just like any other profession.

Women are more sentimental and emotional then men. Menaka Gandhi is an example of one such women. She could not help but talk about motherhood when her son Varun Gandhi was arrested.

There is no privacy for women politicians because politics is being portrayed as an entertaining game by the media and washing linen in public is a very common aspect of politics. Misreporting by the media may sometime create havoc in the family relationship. Women have to face this issue if they become politicians because they are compelled to project themselves in the media for gaining votes.

Terrorists aim for the lives of politicians and women cannot afford to risk their lives because they are tied up to their families as well. Smt. Indira Gandhi will naturally occupy our minds when we talk about gunmen and politicians.

Despite these setbacks and risks, women are climbing up the political ladder.

Things have started looking good for women, in the political arena. Many women, educated and elite are entering into politics with interest, though they seem to be a minority as of now. It is a brave, new world for them.

Sonia Gandhi is a dynamic leader now even though it was the influence of the dynastic charisma at first.

Though Mayavathi and Jayalalitha depended on other political leaders for rising up, now they are significant leaders in their own rights, even though both of them are said to possess assets disproporationate to their income. Mamta Banerjee was another gutsy politician who took advantage of political opportunism. Sheila Dixit, Bharathi and Raje are yet another few women politicians who are prominent.

In international politics, we have heard of Hillary Clinton, Benazir Bhutto and the likes while Indian women like Mayawathi and Jayalalitha, make themselves heard in the political forefront in India.

But how long can these elite, high class women pull forward the ordinary lower and middle class of women?

One can only wait and see how many more women of substance will enter politics and make the gender proud!