By Uvini Panditha

This report explores the lived experiences of women elected to local government in 2018 following the introduction of the 25% quota, drawing on in-depth interviews conducted across multiple districts. Their accounts reveal the complex realities of entering and navigating political spaces that remain deeply shaped by patriarchal norms and practices.

While the quota marked a significant step toward increasing women’s political representation, the findings show that presence alone does not guarantee influence. Women councillors describe facing a range of challenges, from financial constraints and limited campaign support to gendered expectations, exclusion from decision-making processes, and resistance within male-dominated party structures and councils. These barriers often restrict their ability to participate meaningfully and exercise authority in their roles.

Building on a Feminist Institutionalism perspective, this report highlights how formal gains in representation are undermined by informal norms and institutional practices that continue to marginalize women. It calls for sustained reforms that go beyond numerical inclusion, urging a reconfiguration of political institutions to ensure that women are not merely present, but are able to participate fully, effectively, and on equal terms in local governance.