Guwahati, March 23 : What do female hormones have to do with politics?

A lot actually, the Women’s Studies Research Centre in Gauhati University would say.

“Women are different from men not only in biological aspects but also in their thinking. They can treat and handle a problem from a perspective different from their male counterparts,” said Archana Sharma, the director, the research centre.

The logic, backed by a comprehensive research project launched by the Research Centre, will be used as a tool to advocate the Women’s Reservation Bill.

Interim findings of the research project suggest that increasing participation of women in political and social issues would change the face of the region.

To be completed soon, the findings would be used to push the controversial bill, one of the most contentious pieces of legislation to be considered by Parliament and has been hanging fire for close to 14 years because of lack of political consensus on the issue. “Women are the worst sufferers of the problems like insurgency, underdevelopment, violence and flood in the region. For example, many mothers have lost their sons and wives their husbands in the decades-long insurgency. If more women go to Parliament from this part of the country, the problems will catch the attention of the nation in a more effective and louder manner,” Sharma said.

Refusing to comment on the role of male legislators in Parliament, Sharma said the study, which has already been completed in Bongaigaon and Darrang districts, has found some promising young women in the local bodies like panchayats bringing positive and effective changes in society.

She said if these women are groomed and trained they would be make the best use of Parliament to highlight and solve the region’s problems in different ways.

“The need of the hour is to give them opportunities by passing the reservation bill,” she said.

“Way back in 1995, I conducted a study report in remote and underdeveloped Nalbari district on the same issue and found some brave women trying to bring about positive changes in society more than their male counterparts,” Sharma said.

According to Sharma, a large number of poor and helpless women from the region are becoming victims of trafficking and there was no government policy to save them.

“If there is more representation of women from the region in Parliament, the trafficking issue would get highlighted. The centre will soon organise seminars and awareness programmes on the urgent need for women’s participation in politics to generate public opinion to pass the reservation bill,” she said.

The chairperson of Assam State Women’s Commission, Mridula Saharia, said the existing political system needs to be changed as women have the potential to transform the mainstream political culture, by making it more transparent, accountable and responsive.