Outcome of Women’s Reservation in Panchayati Raj Institutions in Bihar

Abstract

Many studies have highlighted the advantages of female leadership in bolstering investment in public infrastructure aimed at enhancing the well-being of women and children, along with fostering the empowerment of women. Building upon this premise, this study aims to examine how political decentralization and female leadership impact social and demographic indicators related to women's empowerment, thereby contributing to the growing body of research on this topic. The focus of this study is on State of Bihar, which is India's third most populous state with approximately 40 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. By analysing data from various rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), the study finds that empowering local governance and promoting female leadership have led to enhancements in women and child health outcomes, as well as bolstering women's empowerment at the grassroots level in Bihar.