When women lead: One woman’s journey to the ballot in India

In the predominantly rural area of Simdega, Jharkhand, India, Deepshikha Kumari lives with her parents and works with an NGO focused on child health and social work, while nurturing her burning ambition to return to the ballot.

“I was always inclined towards politics, through school and university; I even participated in student union elections in college,” she says.

In 2010, Deepshikha contested local elections to the Panchayat (local governance unit also called a Panchayati Raj Institution or PRI), becoming the youngest District Panchayat member in the state. She was 21 years old at the time. In 2024, she ran in Jharkhand State Assembly elections as an independent candidate, but did not secure a majority for a seat.

Deepshikha acknowledges that as an independent candidate, with no connection to established political parties and no mentors to guide her, she was unprepared for what state-level elections would demand from her. Still, the defeat did not deter her.

Over the years, she has remained connected to her community, working at the grass-roots level through the NGO and other initiatives while awaiting another opportunity to serve at the State Assembly.

“My interest lies in policy development. I know that is how real change happens,” says Deepshikha.

It was at this juncture that she joined UN Women’s SheLeads programme in February 2025. A flagship programme of the UN Women India Country Office, SheLeads is designed to enable dialogue, provide insight into strategy and build capacities for political life across party lines. It works with the legislature, executive, women leaders and subject matter experts to build confidence, strengthen governance and foster leadership networks.

“In my cohort, there were 35 participants from all over the country,” recalls Deepshikha. “Sharing and learning from other women candidates’ political journeys was a highlight for me. When we got the opportunity to interact with sitting Members of Parliament who came to address us during the workshop, I could fully appreciate the vibrancy and diversity of our democracy.”

Sanya Seth, UN Women Country Programme Manager, Intergovernmental Programme, said: “Women like Deepshikha bring real political experience to SheLeads; what they often lack is access to networks and the strategic knowledge that separates candidacy from winning. The programme exists to close exactly that gap.”

According to projections, the world is not on track to achieve gender parity in parliaments before 2063.

India today has over 1.45 million elected women representatives, accounting for 46 per cent of total elected representatives in PRIs, according to official figures.

Building on this strong foundation of reservation in local governance, India passed the landmark Women’s Reservation Act 2023, mandating 33 per cent representation in the Parliament and all State Assemblies. The Act is expected to more than double women’s representation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies from the current 15 per cent.

“India has built an exemplary foundation of women’s leadership at the grass-roots. But this has not automatically translated into state or national representation,” says Kanta Singh, Deputy Country Representative, UN Women India. “SheLeads was started to support their journey from local to the state and national stage.”

SheLeads has trained over 150 women since its launch in 2025, with national and regional editions.

“The SheLeads Workshop helped me reflect and recalibrate ... I have started my preparations for the 2029 elections, which I will contest as an independent candidate again,” says Deepshikha.

Deepshikha’s journey reflects a broader shift underway in India, in which women are participating in democracy not only by voting but by having their names on ballots and in assemblies.