India, May 23 -- The passage of the Women's Reservation Bill is, in many ways, a long-overdue correction. It ensures that more women will have a seat at the table where national decisions are made. That matters. Representation has symbolic value, but more importantly, it shows intent--India is choosing to make inclusion official instead of just talking about it.

But beyond that first layer of progress sits a more uncomfortable question: Will presence translate into power?

Because representation, by itself, doesn't create power. It reflects how power is already distributed beneath the surface.

The instinct is to look at Parliament, boardrooms, and leadership roles when we think about gender gaps. But the real constraint shows up much ea...