Gender inequality in politics is a major issue in the contemporary world. In most countries around the world, women have taken political backstage due to several factors that encourage ‘political chauvinism.’
The majority of nations have elective political posts, and this aspect explains the small number of women occupying political seats across the world. However, some countries have achieved gender equality in politics. Differences in political gender inequalities amongst countries are based on cultural, religious, economic, and social backgrounds.
Women are great leaders, but stereotypes have denied them the opportunity to be at the political forefront for many decades. Scholars argue that women play a major role in decision-making processes. In most cases, women are sober-minded in highly intense situations, and thus they make rational decisions in such cases.
India is strongly attached to the Hinduism culture, which inhibits women from ruling over men, but they can assume powerful positions for legislative and policy implementation purposes. The Indian cultural tradition requires women to be loyal to their husbands, which explains the small number of women in political leadership positions even in the face of concerted efforts to promote gender equality in the country
Gender equality is vital for healthy economic growth in any given country regardless of cultural and religious backgrounds. However, political gender equality is determined by religious and social factors in a given country, since they determine the role of women in society. Hence, the increasing number of women in political positions in India is attributed to the favorable sociocultural and religious environment in the country.
In addition, women politicians are denied the opportunity to participate in critical decision-making processes. Unfortunately, women politicians are only allowed to participate in matters touching on female issues like the payment of dowry. They are not part of the legislative process that decides on economic and security matters of the country.
Hence, women are defined, and their roles are confined to women-related issues. In addition, women play a huge role in empowering their fellow women through introducing legislation that aims at improving gender equality in the country in line with the international gender empowerment requirements where women are required to enjoy equal social and economic rights with men.
Indian women politicians play a crucial role in the endeavor to empower women in the country by moving motions that seek to enact policies that discourage women from political subjugation. On the other hand, Iranian women politicians can hardly influence the government to implement policies that would be defined as ‘women’ agenda because they are inferior politicians, and thus incapable of agitating for women empowerment.