Some of those who voted YES had this to say:
• I believe so, because I actually believe that women can also help themselves for their own good as it is only through struggle you improve and achieve wisdom and experience.
• If the government was not serious than I dont think they would have created the Nagaland State Women Commission? I think the DAN government is serious about solving women issues. It is time for women organizations to be serious about the welfare and right of the Naga women. The women organizations need to be articulate their rights well and also find the best way to see that women rights are fulfilled. No one should be allowed to politicise women issues for their own interest.
• How can you say that women issues are not being seriously addressed? Naga society is very much serious about women issues.
• Where else would you find that every Naga tribe has a women organization, and then you have the Naga women organizations to address the issues and rights of the women. I feel that there are ample women organizations to seriously raise and address the issues faced by the Naga women. If the Naga society is not addressing the issues faced by women, we need to question whether it is the failure of the society, or whether it is the failure of the numerous women organizations to present and address the issues faced by women in Naga society.
Some of those who voted NO had this to say:
• Not at all. Nagas have not addressed women's issue in a fair and just manner. In fact the society seems to be skirting around the issue and trying to by-pass it as if it does not exist. Nagas claim to be democratic people, this is far from the truth. The way the society is treating the women is only an indication of what the society is.
• Just mere consideration by the leaders
• Naga society is not addressing any issue with seriousness. Whether it is women issues, prohibition, corruption or the political issues, the Naga society does not seem to be serious in addressing any of these issues with the intention of finding solutions. Naga society is slumbering in its sleep even as its houses is collapsing.
• are u kidding? most of our men are still inside their caves. arent they?
• Becos we have not even one single lady in the state legislative and in any political representation of the state. It is one of the worst women representation state in India and in the world. But in terms of other atrocities meted towards women - Nagaland has better situation as compared to other states of India.
• Nagas society neglected the issue of women. the women issue must just according to god's equal creation.
• because there are still many issues to be dealt with, and moreover there are some preserved feelings inside many people. The issues concerning women are very demanding and powerful, so many people are still reluctant to push full force upon the liberation ideologies coming.
• Naga society has not done enough to seriously address women issues. Naga society is taking everything for granted. Today, it is the Naga women who are performing much better than the men whether it is in the field of education or others. Today Naga women officers are more competent than the men and they are contributing much more towards the society than their men counterpart and yet they continue to face the stigma and alienation from the society. It is time that women issues are addressed with all seriousness.
• No. Most often when women-related issues comes up be it crimes against women or gender based discrimination (which is fortunately not a big issue in our society) the hue and cry is just a flash in the pan. Unless women take the lead and hold more positions of power it's a stalemate.
• No, is still beyond our imagination…
• No, the society as a whole is in denial. It is very convenient for the society to claim that it is democratic and there is equality between men and women. Are we talking here about universal understanding of gender equality or are we talking here from the Naga men's perspective. Come on people, the world has moved on and despite certain limitations, the universal standard of gender equality are the most basic standard that Nagas should work together for.
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:
• The govt appears to be serious only at face value but not really serious enough to lead the way for the rest to follow suit as its hasty retreat under pressure made it slip and slide all the way backwards now ended up in time-buying tactics. The govt shrewd brainbox understands that it will be a big mistake for them to apply zero-end game on one of the most pressing issues right before them not likely to reap any substantial benefit by playing a cat-and-mouse game with its own people. Thus, now for the govt playing devil’s advocate by means of procrastination is the only quick-fix solution they have got at its disposal.
• Naga mothers association and Nagaland state women commission must address women issues in a more fair and democratic manner rather than just becoming stooges of the government.
• If we are serious about addressing women issues and issues in general about representation in decision making than let us not forget the young people. Today the young people do not even have one man or women legislator to represent the voices of young people in the assembly or for that matter even in the municipal council. So let us talk about equal representation not just from women point of view but also the youth point of view. We are sick of old Naga men ruling us.
• The Naga society is faced with a myriad of problems and unfortunately all these important problems have not been addressed well because of the core political problem of the Nagas. The women issue is very important in Nagaland, unfortunately it does not figure in the top priority list of the society. This is only making the women issues in Naga society much more complicated and it is becoming more confrontational because it has been pushed back for so long. The important thing is for the people to make women issue the top priority for the society to seriously address.
• The Nagaland government and civil society organizations must at their own level initiate open, free and honest debates and discussion on the various issues faced by women. Unless issues faced by women are made public it is very difficult for society to seriously address them. For Naga society to develop the rights of the Naga women needs to be protected by the society.
