Women, Customary Law, and Political Participation: A study on Kangpokpi District, Manipur

Abstract

Women’s political participation in Indigenous societies is often shaped by the interaction between customary law, social institutions, and state governance structures. In the Kuki societies of Manipur, customary law has historically regulated social order, land ownership, conflict resolution, and political authority. While these systems ensured community cohesion, they also institutionalized gender hierarchies that limited women’s participation in formal decision-making processes. This study examines how customary law influences women’s political participation in Kuki societies and how these traditional norms interact with modern democratic institutions such as Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) under the Sixth Schedule framework.

Drawing on feminist political theory, Indigenous governance perspectives, and legal pluralism, the study analyzes women’s political exclusion not merely as cultural practice but as a product of intersecting customary and state structures. Using qualitative and quantitative data collected through online surveys, interviews, and interactions with 180 respondents—including academicians, scholars, church leaders, youth leaders, college students, and social workers—the research highlights both structural constraints and emerging spaces of agency. The findings reveal that while customary law continues to restrict women’s access to formal political authority, social transformation driven by education, religious institutions, and civil society has begun to challenge entrenched norms. The study contributes to debates on gender, governance, and Indigenous autonomy by emphasizing the need for culturally grounded yet gender-inclusive governance reforms.