Manipur women seek decision-making roles

North East India deals with complex social political issues such as struggle over natural resources, ethnic conflicts, illegal migration, displacement and social exclusion.

New Delhi:  Women's organizations in Manipur have formed an alliance to assert women's role in decision-making process, which they say will help end the continuing violence that creates some 300 widows annually in the state.

The alliance was formed May 3 at a meeting of Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network (MWGSN) and North East India Women Initiative for Peace (NEIWIP) in partnership with Control Arms Foundation of India (CAFI) .

The meeting discussed the theme: "The Importance and Role of Women in Decision Making Forums Peace and Development in Manipur and Northeast India" in Manipur.

Reena Mutum, MWGSN state coordinator, said women of all age groups have been suffering violence in different ways but they are not included when vital decisions are made.

Hazarimayum Jubita, another women's leader, explained the importance of women in decision-making forums for peace and development in North East India. She wanted to improve the situation through networking.

Violence continues to be a major issue hampering development in northeast India that comprises the eight states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.

Conflicts have aggravated after the introduction of the Armed Forces Special Power Act. More than 50,000 lives have been lost in the violence. The region has some 38 million people but some 19 percent are living below the poverty line.

North East India deals with complex social political issues such as struggle over natural resources, ethnic conflicts, illegal migration, displacement and social exclusion.

Assam witnessed 14 bomb blasts since January to March this year and Manipur suffered 30 such cases during the same period. The conflict in Manipur turns 300 women into widows annually, the women leaders said.

Women’s role remains weak and insecure in all social, political and economic activities in Northeast India, they say.

According to UNICEF, Assam has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in India with 407 for 100,000 live births. Manipur has the second highest rate of domestic violence in the country.

Sitara Begum, Muslim Woman Leader Imphal East, said that, “there is no role of women in the decision making processes. In Manipur, during crime women were the first to handle the situation but on the other hand when there is the time of decision making they were been kept aside”.

Press Release