Women empowerment and political participation: a sociological study in West Bengal, India

To promote women empowerment, enrichment in democratic governance is an essential requirement in any state or nation participation in political agenda and politics is essential in the development of good governance and democratic framework. In this regard, to increase the political participation of women, the most important institutions are the political parties. Political parties can influence women's political empowerment through Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and international organisations. In India, women are still in a subordinate position in determining legislative and political priorities. In this backdrop, our study assesses the status of political participation that is playing a crucial role in achieving gender equality and women empowerment in West Bengal, India.