On 22 October 2021, the Chairperson of the Nagaland State Commission for Women, Khrienuo Tachu, visited the town of Jalukie, Peren District, to address a one-day Legal Awareness Programme. (Ref. Nagaland Page 22/10/2021). While she rightly highlighted issues of gender-based discrimination, mitigation of cyber crimes, promotion of entrepreneurial skills and self-reliance among women, her eminently sensible address was marred by one remark: ‘good patriarchy ensures a safe society resulting in less discrimination thereby safeguarding women and the girl child’. This is extremely poor framing by Tachu. Yes, Nagaland is a patriarchal society and it is practised with certain norms of social control and customary standards. And yes, men need to play a role in the protection of women’s safety and rights. But Tachu seems to suggest that women can be protected from abuse and discrimination within the domain of ‘good patriarchy’, which to us sounds like a contradiction in terms. Can an institution such as patriarchy, predicated on the notion of male superiority, ever be fair to women? Is it correct to endorse or aim for the kind of ‘safety’ for women that are mandated by a patriarchy?
There is certainly evidence of domestic abuse and violence against women in Nagaland. Discrimination is rife with women not getting access to social and economic opportunities. Cyber crimes are normally, committed by men and so are forms of domestic abuse, all of which have created multiple insecurities for women in Nagaland as well as in other north-eastern and other states of the country. This is why we have the National Commission of Women federating with State Commissions like Nagaland’s to protect women’s rights.
It is imperative on the part of the Chairperson of the Nagaland State Commission for Women to be cognizant that it is patriarchal power structures that have kept women in subordination for years.
Abantee Dutta: Legal Rights Facilitator & Studio Nilima for Research and Capacity Building, Guwahati
Aasha Ramesh, Researcher and Activist
Bondita Acharya, Puva Bharati Trust, Jorhat & WinG-India
Lalitha K, Independent Researcher & Writer
Linda Chhakchhuak, Journalist
Maini Mahanta, Journalist
Mani Mekalai, Department Women’s Studies, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu
Koninika Ray, National Federation of Indian Women, New Delhi
North East Network, Assam Meghalaya & Nagaland
Maya Krishna Rao, Theatre Artist
Padmini Boruah, Academician
Patricia Mukhim, Journalist
Pradyut Bhattacharjee, Activist
Rakhee Kalita Moral, Centre for Women’s Studies, Cotton University, Guwahati
Roshmi Goswami, Feminist Activist
Soma KP, Independent Researcher
Suneeta Dhar, Gender Specialist
Syeda Hameed, Muslim Women’s Forum, New Delhi
Tamara Law Goswami, Environmentalist
Vasanth Kannabiran, ASMITA Hyderabad
Vijayakshmi Brara, Sociologist
Walter Fernandes, NE Social Research Centre, Guwahati
