Morung Express News
Chizami | March 8
As the world moves to end gender disparity by 2030, women in Phek district of Nagaland State are already closing the gender gap. Women leaders from Chizami, Enhulumi, Sumi, Lasumi, Losami and Zapami villages were honoured today at the International Women’s Day program hosted by the North East Network (NEN) at its Resource Centre in Chizami for their contribution to bringing women into decision making bodies and achieve gender parity in wages. These women have managed to make women’s voices heard in their village councils, and made sure that men and women are paid at par with each other for labour.
With the theme ‘Planet 50-50: Stepping Up for Gender Equality,’ the NEN Nagaland chapter brought together women from Meghalaya, Manipur, Telangana, Assam, Dimapur and Kohima to Phek district’s Chizami village, making it a significant and relevant platform to honour women leaders from neighbouring villages. It has been a decade since they have been providing this platform as solidarity towards the women’s movement for justice.
Acknowledging the “struggles of our mothers and grandmothers,” NEN’s Seno Tsuhah noted that gender parity can be achieved through women supporting and encouraging each other, but also through support from the community, government and churches. Gender equality cannot be achieved through a “protectionist approach” but one that bases itself on diversity, social justice and human rights—that “every individual, every woman, while upholding community values, has the capability and she can live this to the full potential through meaningful spaces in the political, social and economic spheres,” she observed.
“What do we need to do in each of our spaces to take women forward?” Seno asked the woman and men gathered at the Resource Centre.
Gender inequality begins at home and must end there, said Guest of Honour, Lithrongla G. Chishi, IAS, Director, ATI, Government of Nagaland, thus responding to Seno. The attitude that men should not wash, cook or clean at home, reserving these jobs for women instead, is not imported from outside. “Stop defining gender roles at homes, society, churches or the State in Nagaland,” asserted the Director, also calling for ending the silence in each of these institutions against gender and domestic violence. “When we don’t speak out and stigmatise domestic violence, we set an example for our children to continue the culture,” she aptly noted.
Women leaders from various villages in Phek were honoured for bringing women into decision making bodies and achieving gender parity in wages at the International Women’s Day program observed at the North East Network Resource Centre at Chizami village on Tuesday, March 8, 2016.[/caption] Advocating women’s active participation in policy making from the village upwards, the woman who handles three departments for the Nagaland State Government said that “Women’s voices are required to make compact policies.” She hoped that the North East of the sub-continent will become the first to establish the “50-50 gender parity” and set the precedent for the South Asian region in achieving a “harmonious and developed” society.
Today’s programme also saw the release, and screening, of the film ‘Biodiversity & Livelihoods: through the lens of Chakhesang Women Farmers.’ The film, released by President of Chakhesang Public Organisation, Kekhwengulo Leah, is a collection of five short films documented by 13 women farmers from various villages trained in video documentation by the NEN. “It is an attempt to document women’s oral stories from their land, by them; an attempt to have women’s voices heard, of their contribution to the lives and livelihoods of communities,” informed NEN’s Wekowe-ü Tsuhah.
The CPO President informed, meanwhile, that they are planning a Chakhesang women leader’s summit soon. A solidarity message was shared by the Village Council Chairperson of Chizami village, Kewepelo Tsuhah, who even offered to give up his chair to a woman, if found capable.
