Say no to proxy sarpanches: MoPR launches campaign
This International Women's Day, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj kicked off the Say No To Proxy Sarpanch campaign to tackle a big issue in rural India: when elected women village heads (sarpanches) are sidelined by male relatives who call the shots instead.
The campaign, running till March 18, urges everyone to support real women leaders and put an end to this outdated practice.
The goal is simple: make sure women sarpanches actually get to lead
Letting men run the show behind the scenes not only blocks women from leading but also weakens democracy at its roots.
To fix this, an advisory group has suggested strict penalties for those involved in proxy leadership and a way for people to report it confidentially (with rewards for whistleblowers).
The goal is simple: make sure women sarpanches actually get to lead and shape their communities: no substitutes allowed.