Gender Equality in Local Governance in Bihar

Women’s representation in local government has increased substantially since reservation were introduced in Bihar in 2006. Women representatives will be the channels of change, better equipped as they seem to be to deliver to women’s needs. Thus women representatives are expected to act simultaneously as representatives, responsible to their electorate to meet the “general” needs of governance and as women representative with a special responsibility  to address the interest of women. In this context, it is imperative to explore  the issue of the accountability of male representatives. The article shows that gender just outcomes  would require much more than a minimal transfer of resources to women.