UKHRUL: A one-day ‘’Consultation Meeting with Stakeholders on Ground Issues & Challenges of Women’’ was held on Friday at the Conference Hall, SDO office, Kamjong district.
Jointly organized by the Manipur State Commission for Women (MSCW) and One Stop Centre, Kamjong, the programme aimed at raising awareness, and identifying on the ground issues and challenges faced by women in Manipur, particularly in Kamjong district.
The programme was attended by Th Tiningpham Monsang, chairperson, Manipur State Commission for Women (MSCW), T Chuongsin Koireng, member MSCW, and H L Jain, ADM, Kamjong District, as presidium members.
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Speaking on the occasion, MSCW chairperson Th Tiningpham elaborated on the statutory role of the Commission in safeguarding women’s rights and promoting their welfare across the state and highlighted the Commission’s roles in addressing complaints related to violence, discrimination, and denial of entitlements.
Emphasizing the centrality of gender equality and women’s empowerment, she stressed that equal participation and shared responsibilities of all genders within the family are fundamental to building a just and progressive society.
Also addressing the event, Kamjong district ADM H L Jain said that men and women are not equal and women are not inferior. “Both men and women need equal contributions in society; only when women are educated, independent, and self-reliant a progressive society can be achieved,” he said.
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As the central part of the event, resource person T Chuongsin elaborated on various forms of violence against women. Often, women perceive violence only when it occurs in the form of physical abuse, rape, or polygyny. The resource person explained that violence and abuse take many forms, including physical, emotional or psychological, economic, sexual, social, digital, domestic violence, and institutional abuse, helping participants develop a broader understanding of violence against women.
The key issues and challenges faced by women are largely from the patriarchal nature of society and women are often expected to remain silent and endure difficult situations, which discourages them from speaking out. This social expectation frequently forces women to tolerate abuse and suppress their voices. And many women do not report violence or abuse due to fear, stigma, and a lack of awareness and accessibility, an official statement said.
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There is also deep concern about what may happen after reporting, whether the woman may face further violence from her husband or family members upon returning home. These fears force many women into silence. As a result, there are no reported cases of violence against women in Kamjong district; however, this absence of reports does not mean that violence does not occur, it further stated.
Civil society members further emphasized that such awareness programmes should be organised for both men and women, highlighting the urgent need to educate the entire community.
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Around 100 participants from the Tangkhul and Kuki communities, representing various villages of Kamjong district, attended the programme. The participants included government employees, Tangkhul Shanao Long, Kuki Women Union, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, Self Help Group (SHG), Team of One Stop Centre, Kamjong and representatives from local NGOs.
Later, a team from MSCW also visited the One Stop Centre in Kamjong to assess conditions and address grievances. They also provided relief aid, including sanitary pads and hot water bags, to support the centre’s operations.