Why So Few? the Challenges of Womens’s Political Representation in a Matrilineal Society (A Study of Meghalaya) and Beyond (A Comparison with Assam)

Author(s)	LUCKYMONI BORUAH, GAJENDRA ADHIKARY
Country	India
Abstract	Women’s underrepresentation in politics continues to be a global concern, but in India’s Northeast it carries unique paradoxes. Meghalaya, often celebrated for its matrilineal system, should ideally be more inclusive of women in legislative spaces. Yet, the state consistently records extremely low female representation. Assam, on the other hand, despite being a patrilineal society, shows comparatively higher participation of women in its legislative assembly. This paper examines the puzzle of “Why so few?” through a comparative study of Meghalaya and Assam. Drawing on electoral data, interviews with women legislators, and secondary sources, it highlights the structural, cultural, and institutional barriers that limit women’s political presence. The findings underline that matriliny does not automatically translate into political empowerment, and meaningful change requires political will, gender-sensitive policies, and stronger support for women leaders.
Keywords	Women’s political representation, Matriliny and politics, Gender and power, Electoral participation, Structural barriers, Political empowerment, Gender-sensitive policies
Field	Sociology > Politics
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 4, July-August 2026
Published On	2026-07-19

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