When women power civic matters

Coimbatore: Out of the 100 councillors in Coimbatore corporation, as many as 56 are women, exceeding the govt stipulated 50% reservation. The mayor too is a woman, not to mention the zonal chairpersons and committee heads.
These women leaders say that their role in public service has given them a sense of empowerment. But the journey is always challenging, where one often encounters persistent gender biases, not to mention the constant need to balance their civic duties and family life.
Chithra Vellingiri, councillor from ward 26, said being a woman in public service was challenging, compared to their male counterparts. "Certain situations favour men. For instance, if a problem arises late at night, I may not be able to reach the spot, but men could rush to the location and return home anytime," she said.
At council meetings too, sometimes her voice gets drowned without getting the due recognition it deserves. "Male councillors often have the upper hand," she said.
C Santhi, councillor from ward 41, said even after three years and several projects, people barely recognized her during inspections and she had to wear her ID card. "There's a common misconception that women councillors are backed by their husbands or male counterparts. Those days are long gone. We strive to solve problems independently, seeking knowledge and clarifying doubts to perform our best in civic administration,'' she said.
Women councillors point out that though they want to work equally hard for the public, they are bogged down by pressure of balancing family and professional responsibilities. R Gayathri, councillor from ward 44, said they often had to sacrifice their time meant for family. "I receive repeated calls from the public throughout the day and even at odd hours. There have been instances where I don't get to cook at home. My elderly mother-in-law steps in to support me, enabling me to focus on civic work."
Sarmila Suresh Narayanan, councillor from ward 70, said there were also advantages of being a woman administrator. "Women are often more approachable by the public, irrespective of age or gender. People freely express their grievances to me, and I could even visit their houses. Men, on the other hand, are often uninvited, and the public hesitate to share problems with them."
In a bid to get heard, sometimes women councillors adopt an assertive stance. "Sometimes, I am labelled as harsh and tough. But I must assert authority to ensure timely completion of work," she said.