Results at a Glance

In South Asia, our most prominent contribution has been to ensure that women can participate actively in politics, and voice their opinions freely.

Whether it is advocacy for women’s reservation in Afghanistan Loya Jirga, or Nepal’s Constituent Assembly, UN Women has helped shape some important political changes in the region.

Women Power in Local Governance

UN Women, along with the Government of India, works to strengthen the leadership skills and confidence of women leaders in Gram Sabhas (village councils) so they can make decisions that benefit all. So far 315 Mahila Jagruk Manches (women’s awareness platforms) have been formed with elected women representatives from 635 Gram Panchayats in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan in India. Almost 5,000 elected women representatives and over 17,000 women citizens have participated in these Manches. This has shown that collective action helps women leaders to prioritize issues and take important decisions.

In Bihar, SWEEP (Strengthening Women’s Empowerment through Electoral Processes) campaigns helped women candidates file nominations and manage electoral campaigns in Panchayat elections. Due to this, there was a marked increase in the number of women canvassing during elections. More women contested from general seats, and not just those reserved for them.