Why I Believe Women in Public Policy Make Better Policy

Over the last few weeks, I have been hearing from many young women who are stepping into the world of public policy. Some are in the first year of their careers. Others are still studying in top universities in India and abroad and are hoping to enter the field soon. Their messages, their questions, and their search for direction stayed with me. It made me pause and think about my own journey and all the women I have worked with over the years. This article is written with them in mind, because their outreach reminded me of something important. Women in policy do not just strengthen representation. They strengthen outcomes.

I have had the privilege of working alongside some exceptional women in public policy. They have shaped complex reforms, led critical negotiations, and improved the quality of decisions in ways that often go unnoticed. What I have seen consistently is that when women are part of policy design and execution, the work becomes more grounded, more human, and often more effective.

Global research supports this. Studies by the World Bank, UN Women, and the OECD show that gender balanced policy institutions perform better across multiple indicators. Teams with more women produce stronger analysis, reduce blind spots, and improve stakeholder trust. Countries with women in leadership demonstrate higher transparency and better governance outcomes. These are not opinions. These are data backed patterns.

I have seen similar patterns in my own work. In a rural strategy project, it was the women on the team who spotted the gaps in access and implementation that would have disproportionately affected women and marginalized groups on the ground. The rest of us simply had not seen those issues. Their perspective changed the design of the entire program. It was a real-world demonstration that diverse inputs lead to smarter policy.

I have also seen how women navigate pressure in this field. Policy work is demanding, with tight timelines, scrutiny, and constant negotiation. The women I have worked with bring a mix of clarity, empathy, and strategic thinking that strengthens the entire team. They ask sharper questions, they anticipate risks earlier, and they often create an environment where discussion stays constructive even when disagreements are strong. These are not soft traits. They are leadership assets.

Many women also carry additional pressures. They often balance visibility, credibility, and perception with more care than their male peers. Yet they convert these pressures into resilience and precision. I have learned a great deal from watching how they operate in high stakes environments.

And this is also where I want to make something clear. My appreciation for women in policy does not come at the cost of anyone else. I have worked with outstanding male colleagues whose expertise, negotiation skills, and problem-solving instincts have been central to many successful projects. What I have come to value is the combination. When women and men work together, each bringing different strengths, the result is almost always a more complete and more effective policy outcome. Diversity works because it adds depth. It does not replace anyone.

All of this points toward one conclusion. Encouraging more women to enter public policy is not just a matter of fairness. It is a strategic opportunity. It improves the quality of analysis. It broadens the range of ideas. It strengthens implementation. And it benefits every institution and every citizen touched by policy decisions.

Looking back at the projects that delivered the most impact in my own career, there is a common thread. Women were at the center of the decision making, shaping, questioning, refining, and improving ideas at every step. Their presence made the teams stronger and the outcomes sharper.

So, when young women reach out and ask whether they should step into this field, my answer is simple. Yes. Not because the sector needs more women to fill numbers, but because the sector becomes better with them. And judging from the messages I have received lately, many more women are ready to step in. The future of public policy will be stronger because of them.

This is not only the right direction. It is the smart one.

(The opinions expressed in this article are solely my own and do not reflect the views of my employer or any affiliated organization.)

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