"Women reservation should not be treated as out of choice but an agent of change and progress." In a tribal society like ours many people both men and women till today tend to be more conservative and think that women should limit their activity as a respect to the customs and tradition. While taking the customary laws into an account, I believe the state of Nagaland can put this 33% women reservation in the Local Urban Bodies (LUB) under consideration and draw some lines that favours the progress of the society.
Just say, you and I go to the villagers and tell them, that miss or mistress "X,Y,Z" are contesting an election it is pretty sure that more people even the literate one would be shocked and like, O.M.G! even the girls contest election? Like the guys yah! which sounds little unbelievable but such is the perceived notion of many people in this patriarchal society. Such is the idea and mindset that has been in existence long time back. The patriarchal mindset, traditional belief have made our outlook of the world more different and that have made our society more difficult to decide whether to unchain ourselves from all those traditions and bondage and to go along with progress or to run behind it with the same old belief and fear. Without much delay one thing we all could do is that, our approach towards change and progress should be re-examined by being adaptable and outspoken to the modern laws and principles. We need to be broader in our observation and more receptive. Our view of the world should not be narrow but have to reach those societies where the women are shaping their families, communities, societies with the opportunities (socio-political rights) that are being granted to them. Some people still think that women should cook daily for the family not because the family finds the taste of the curry different but as a role, they are not supposed to talk about politics and so on. Believe it or not, for many who still feel that social custom and tradition as the purest and holy law of the society in this 21st century, the implementation of 33% women reservation in Local Unban Bodies could be a personal as well as societal challenge. This also could be a mental harassment to especially those group of people whose social world are governed by the concept men are the bread winner and decision maker and women as the homemakers.
For those traditionalists, granting the women all rights and freedom equally to men would be highly frustrating and moreover it would be again a worst nightmare and big disgrace to those older aged group because of the very fact that during those days the practice of head hunting was their good experienced and in the mean time many restrictions were imposed on the women by customs and tradition. Such as, power and authority, who would be the head of the family, who would attend the political and social gathering, who would take part in the organisation or government, who would prepare the meal and dinner and so on. All those were decided or taken in hands by the men folk. Equal role, equal participation was never considered because of the fact that the visibility of the women in the village organisation and political affairs was treated and considered as taboo. What is again beyond the imagination is that the social custom has been dragging the women behind from the line of equality and justice (their political rights). While many women are preparing to move forward with the opportunities that are passing through, our male dominated society has once again made their dream and interest half reality and half fake. Let this not be another tragedy by doing through an open participation but make it reality by through reservation.
Furthermore, from the patriarchal point of view it may give the men folk a good reason to win over the argument on the women involvement in the decision making, playing the dual role (home maker and bread winner) in the society. But the same argument cannot make women the loser in a society which is governed by the democratic principles. Talking about the Naga women it is of an undeniable truth that such ill-treatment like, Sati, Purdah, etc. had not been imposed on them and for that reason our women were and are also considered the most luckiest and privileged one among those others (who are free from that evil laws and practices) on one hand, but life on the other side, their political world were not free from discrimination and inequality.
What could be its impact? The kind of prediction may not favour everybody but my perspectives here are that, it would improve and uplift their position and status in the society. It would give the society the picture of their quality and capability where gender based violence or crime have the possibility to come down as this would make the society accept them as equal to men. It would minimise the wrong notion "who is she? what girls can do?" in a male dominated society like ours and specially in the rural areas this would really bring a lot of improvement in their socio-economic position. Their presence and voice in the house would really make the laws more effective, it would help the government more easy to catch up the social issues related to them. Their dedication and quality of management as compared to our men folk would help the government and departments smooth in functioning.
Nevertheless, it is of my opinion and view that let us not bring them down by our patriarchal attitude but rather give them a chance through reservation and fulfill their dreams. For many decades our society has denied the political rights to our women considering their role and participation in politics as exiguous and ineffective in bringing any reform in the social arena. The half rotten society like ours today have more expectation from our women who know how to nurse their sick babies, who could easily make out whether her husband is just acting normal or already drunk, who are expert in handling and managing the family budget headed by the drunkard husband. Will be more happy seeing our women enjoying their reservation seats in the upcoming 2018 General Election.
(Comments and feedback can be dropped through wochasathong@gmail.com)
Asa-thong Woch (Concerned citizen)
