Imphal: Commemorating the International Women’s Day celebration, a one day sensitisation on women’s rights on Friday was organised by the Manipur State Commission for Scheduled Tribes (MSCST) in collaboration with the Tangkhul Shanao Long, Imphal (TSLI).
The awareness programme was attended by hundreds of Tangkhul women residing in and around Imphal at ADC Bhavan conference hall, Sangakpham in Imphal East.
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According to Philazan Shangh Vashum, president, TSLI, most of the tribals, especially the Tangkhul women are not aware of the legal perspective of women’s rights and sometimes they get confused between the legal perspective and customary/traditional laws.
This is because we have been practicing the customary laws for quite long and we are adsorbed by these laws, she reasoned.
The main objectives of the programme, she said, is to sensitise women’s rights that has been enshrined under different provisions of laws to equip themselves and also for those who seek justice being a woman.
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“Both men and women need to recognise the importance of women and their roles to create an inclusive society because when women get equal rights, only then the society can progress. It is also to know and realise the fact that in a fast changing high-tech world, it is not only traditional or customary laws that should be focused. Hence we need to capacitate and equip ourselves with national and international provisions for women to stand up for our rights and justice against the injustice meted out against women. We need to be aware of the various provisions of law under the country constitution of India, United Nations and the existing traditional and customary laws to live a purposeful life for our own sake and for the sake of others whom we love and care,” said Vashum.
Speaking on the occasion as one of the resource persons, Chuimeila Keishing, former Asst Prof of Dyal Singh College, Delhi University, said that the day is being celebrated globally irrespective of racial groups and caste to honour and respect the achievements, resilience and contributions of women everywhere.
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Keishing further said the main purpose of the International Women’s Day is to celebrate of women in all their diversities and to embrace the diversity in faith, race, ethnicity.
“We celebrate for those who came before us, those who stand beside us and for those who will come after,” she said.
Stating that Women’s Day was a result of several socialist movement which demanded for voting rights and better working conditions for women, Chuimeila Keishing informed that March 8 was marked as the Women’s Day by the United Nations in 1975.
Despite the celebration for women’s rights for years, gender equality is not absolutely attained even in developed nations and it is still a movement, she said.
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Elaborating on the theme ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate progress,’ Keishing said that to invest in women in education is to speed up the progress and build a progressive society.
In the context of the Tangkhul community, Chuimeila Keishing lauded the Ringui village for the inclusion of women as a member of the village authority.
“Women can break the glass ceiling if given an opportunity and use their utmost potentials in leading the society,” she added.
Meanwhile, Worthing Soro, advocate of the High Court of Manipur, spoke on women’s rights and its legal perspective. During his paper presentation, Soro gave an insightful on women rights enshrined in the Constitution of India and Indian Penal Code.
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“The Constitution of India in all its fairness, equity and natural justice made all our attempt to secure gender equality to the citizens of India, which is manifested in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. The Constitution of India not only grants equality to women but also empowers the States and Union Territories of India to adopt measures to curb discrimination against women,” said Soro.
The transition in living standard, lifestyle, changes in social ethos and little or no concern for the moral values contributes largely to a vicious outlook towards women due to which there are multiplication of crime against women. Such rampant incidents of crime against women are matters of concern and calls for global attention, so that women around the world could live with respect, honour, dignity, liberty and peace, he added.
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