The Odisha Legislative Assembly has just 18 women members out of 147 MLAs, making just a meager 12% of the total count (in the year 2019, it was just 15, making 10%). This is the status of a state that was applauded by the United Nations for passing an ordinance to give 33% reservation to women in the State Assembly and Parliament. 

In the last petition of Change.org /OdiaWomenInPolls (before the 2019 election) Dr.Sasmit Patra rightly said, "Translating this vision of bringing more women into the legislature and into government needs to be extended to all political parties, at all levels. It needs to go beyond one state, Odisha, and one party, the Biju Janata Dal". But, our ask is why can't Biju Janata Dal begin that change? Why can't BJD inspire the rest of the political parties by being the first one to move? It's BJD who first passed the ordinance without waiting for political parties. 

Biju Janata Dal is governing Odisha for a fifth consecutive time. Odisha has 49.46% female population. But they are fielding just 13% women in the 2019 state assembly election, whereas the ordinance was for both Loksabha and assembly election.

Our request to the President of BJD is to fulfill their commitment to creating opportunities for more and more women to join politics and pave the way for them to assume greater decision-making powers. It will greatly help in creating role models for young women to participate in public discourse. It will also help the state in creating inclusive policies, bridging the gender disparity gaps, and reducing crime against women. 

Sign our petition to the President of Biju Janata Dal to issue 33% of tickets to women in the 2024 state assembly elections. Let's bring more women into politics!

In the same petition, we are also asking the state presidents of BJP, and INC to issue 33% of tickets to women in the 2024 state assembly elections.

Image credit: indiatimes.com