Dalits and Decentralization: Federalism’s Impact on the Caste System

Author: Shaoni Chakraborty: India’s governance system has traditionally been characterised by a specific form of federalism known as “centralised federalism.” In contrast to the classic conception of federal government, in which constituent units operate with significant autonomy with explicitly delineated independent spheres of authority, India’s system grants substantial powers to the Central government, allowing it to intervene in state affairs.

Queerness, Gender Equality, and Federalism in Southeast Asia: Important Challenges and Progress Towards Inclusive Federalism

Author: Jerry Dave Ntwari – The marginalization of individuals based on gender identity is a pressing concern faced by minority populations all around the world. Analyzing the role played by federal governance in mitigating the inequalities which arise from this marginalization is an area that requires greater attention, especially with regard to the challenges faced by women and queer people in both federal and non-federal countries.  

Has Decentralizing Governance in the MENA Region Increased Women’s Empowerment?

Author: Simone Clarke – Ensuring adequate representation for women in governance realms remains a global challenge. This challenge is especially prevalent in the MENA region, which since the early 2010s has been faced with both the beginning and aftermath of the Arab Spring protests. These protests originated in Tunisia and soon spread to other countries in the region as calls for more equal governance grew in size and scale. The desire for increased opportunities for political participation resulted in some countries, including Tunisia and Morocco, moving toward decentralization. Despite their geographic proximity, these two countries took different approaches to decentralization. The outcomes of these two approaches provides for a compelling comparative analysis.

Decentralized Governance to Reinforce Women’s Political Participation in the MENA Region

Author: Laurie-Ève Beauchamp – The Middle East and North African (MENA) region is characterized by low participation of women in decision-making processes. Women face multiple challenges when they seek recognition as active political actors. This article examines the obstacles to women’s political participation in the MENA region and how the mechanisms of decentralized and multilevel governance can better support their political participation.

Federalism: To the Advantage or Disadvantage of Women’s Political Representation?

Author: Dariya Akhova – The effects of federalism on women’s representation is an emerging field of research. The dynamics of women’s political representation and federalism may have garnered little interest in the past, but emerging evidence and scholarship is emerging in this important area. This article will explore the factors that have been cited as most favourable to women’s political representation and attempt to identify their relationship to federal systems.