A landmark bill to raise the marriage age for women in our country is being left to 30 male MPs and only 1 woman MP! They are part of a parliamentary committee.

Can there be anything more ironic and unfair than this? Such an important body that will determine the fact of crores of girls and women needs to be more representative to ensure their voices are heard. Sign my petition, asking the Chairperson of Rajya Sabha to reconstitute the panel so that 16 members or more are women MPs.

If the rules of Parliament may not allow this to happen and if panels cannot be reconstituted, we believe it is possible for the Speaker to constitute a special panel to study the Bill which can have more women MPs. They can also send it to another existing panel which only has women MPs. Its called the Committee on Empowerment of Women. It generally doesn't study Bills, but it can on this occasion. (We want to appreciate Maansi Verma, who runs Maadhyam for pointing this out).

A gender-balanced panel will ensure that women have equal say in issues that affect them, rather than be ruled by archaic patriarchal value systems.

The “Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill” seeks to increase the age of legal marriage of women from 18 to 21 years. It was introduced by Union minister Smriti Irani in December and sent for examination and scrutiny to a 31-member committee called Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, which only has one woman MP Sushmita Dev in it.

The Bill is already controversial as it will override all personal laws if and when it comes into effect. And now the appallingly low number of women in the panel only makes the case stronger for more diversity and representation.

Two women MPs have already written to the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha raising their concerns. It’s important that we the people of India who want equality, diversity, and inclusion to be upheld make our voices heard.

In Parliament, there are currently 103 women MPs (just 14.3% of the total MPs).  Out of these, 78 are in the Lok Sabha and 25 are in the Rajya Sabha. We urge all parties can nominate more women MPs to the panel that deliberates on the future of women.

Sign my petition asking the Chairperson of Rajya Sabha to take action.

When thousands of Indians sign my petition, I believe we will have a greater chance of being heard and possibly creating a change that will affect the lives of half the population.

Sign if you believe in upholding gender equality and justice - and decision-making that involves the voices and opinions of women in an equal, equitable manner.