Motivation
India has institutionalized the largest, most progressive electoral gender quota in the world, yet elected women representatives (EWRs) continue to face substantial and persistent barriers to their political power. Evidence shows that most quota-elected representatives defer political authority to male relatives, a practice commonly referred to as “proxyism.” At the same time, large gender gaps in digital connectivity persist: many EWRs in rural India do not own mobile phones, limiting their access to information, networks, and constituents. Digital connectivity is increasingly essential for political participation, governance, and leadership effectiveness, yet remains unevenly distributed along gender lines. Emerging evidence suggests that mobile phone ownership may be closely linked to women leaders’ ability to act autonomously and perform their official duties. This study examines how digital access interacts with interventions designed to strengthen EWRs’ agency, with the broader goal of understanding how improving women’s digital connectivity can enhance political representation, service delivery, and downstream social and economic outcomes for women and their communities.
Objective
This research builds on an ongoing evaluation of three interventions aimed at strengthening the agency of women elected representatives: (i) an agency- and capacity-building training program to enhance EWRs’ leadership and technical skills, (ii) the formation of peer networks for EWRs, and (iii) community engagement forums that connect EWRs with women constituents. The proposed study adds a qualitative research initiative to examine how mobile phone ownership and digital connectivity shape the effectiveness of these interventions.
Through repeated in-depth interviews with EWRs across all treatment arms, this study investigates how access to mobile phones affects women leaders’ information access, political networks, decision-making authority, and interactions with constituents. This research further explores whether expanding EWRs’ digital connectivity can mitigate proxyism and amplify women’s authority within local governance structures. By tracing these mechanisms over time, this study aims to clarify how digital agency enhances institutional and social interventions to strengthen women’s political, social, and economic empowerment.
Proposed Impact
This study will generate policy-relevant insights into how digital inclusion can reinforce women’s political agency in contexts where formal representation does not guarantee real power. Findings will inform central and state governments, civil society organizations, and development practitioners on the importance of integrating digital access into governance and leadership programs for women. By highlighting how mobile phone ownership enhances the effectiveness of agency-building interventions, this research will guide scalable strategies to reduce proxyism, improve service delivery, and strengthen women’s representation in local decision-making. More broadly, the study contributes to evidence on how women’s political empowerment—enabled by digital connectivity—can translate into wider social and economic gains for rural Indian communities.
Photo credit: Jennifer Deacon on Unsplash
