Pardee Students Present Research to Empower Women in Meghalaya, India

In a research presentation titled  “When Do Quotas Work? Identifying Structural Barriers to Implement Quota Mandates for Women’s Political Leadership in Meghalaya, India.” Pardee School of Global Studies’ Global Development students, under the guidance of Prof. Rachel Brulé, explored the impact of Meghalaya’s 2020 Reservation Policy on women’s participation in Village Employment Councils (VECs). The team, comprising Maria Soledad Bambach Vial, Isabella Luna Marie De Palo Garcia Perez, Ángel Guzmán, Denztrial Celvin Kehi, Thu Ha Phan, Henry Schneider, Manpreet Kaur Singh, and Riza Zhapabayeva, revealed three key hypotheses.

Their research, incorporating a comprehensive mix of qualitative fieldwork and data analysis, concluded that the policy had a positive impact on increasing women’s representation in VEC leadership positions. This insightful study sheds light on the pivotal roles of tribal culture, agriculture, and geographic accessibility in shaping women’s political agency. The findings contribute to the global conversation on empowering women in political leadership and offer valuable insights for future policy interventions.

Their presentation concluded successfully on December 8th, 2023, followed by a reception.

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