Women Work Three times Harder Than Men to Earn Space in Politics, says Vasundhara Raje

In a frank admission former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Saturday said women have to work three times harder than men to carve out a place for themselves in politics. She said that education remains the key to success.

Addressing a social programme in Jaipur, Raje said women face far greater challenges in public life.

"Women have to put in three times more effort than men to earn space in politics," she said.

According to an official statement, she highlighted the progress made by women since Independence, while stressing that much more needs to be done.

Raje said women's literacy rate in India was just nine per cent at the time of Independence, and it has now risen to 65 per cent.

Women account for around 10 per cent of candidates contesting general elections today, compared to only three per cent in 1957, she added.

"There were 22 women members in the first Lok Sabha. Today, their number has increased to 74. In the Rajya Sabha, women members numbered 15 in 1952, which has now gone up to 42," she said.

However, she added that the current representation of women is still inadequate. "This number is not enough. It should be at par with men," she said.

The former chief minister said President Droupadi Murmu and former president Pratibha Patil have proved that education is the key to success.

The 'Jat Mahila Shakti Sangam' programme was also addressed by MLA Dr Shikha Meel, former MLA Krishna Poonia and former judge Dr Rajendra Chaudhary.