Women have a new advocate in Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi: Women have found a new advocate for them in the form of federal rural development minister Jairam Ramesh.

The outspoken minister Wednesday lent his support to passage of the contentious Women's reservation bill.

Speaking at the release of the UN Human Development Report 2011, Ramesh said that passage of the bill would improve women's participation in politics, especially in parliament and state legislative assemblies.

Representation

"Reservation for women is needed to increase their representation in parliament," Ramesh said.

The women's reservation bill is pending before the Lok Sabha for sometime as it continues to elude consensus. The bill, already passed by the Rajya Sabha, proposes to give 33 per cent reservation to women in parliament and state assemblies.

While major political parties like the ruling Congress and the principal opposition Bharatiya Janata Party favour passage of the bill, some regional parties are opposed to it in its present form, as they want reservation within reservation for women belonging to lower castes.

The bill is seen as a major step towards women's empowerment. Certain states like Bihar have already made the move by reserving 50 per cent seats for women in paanchayati raj (local self governing body) institutions.