DIMAPUR, JULY 4 (MExN): Khesheli Chishi has been elected as the new Chairperson of the Network of Indigenous Women of Asia (NIWA).The announcement was made following NIWA’s 1st General Assembly held from May 21 to 24, in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Established in 2019, NIWA is a member-based network comprising indigenous women’s organisations and networks from 14 Asian countries. The network is organised into four sub-regions: East Asia, Mekong, South Asia, and South East Asia. NIWA envisions a future “in which indigenous women are empowered, capable, and self-reliant in enjoying their rights and fostering inclusive and sustainable development across Asia.”
Chishi brings with her years of experience and dedication as a women’s rights activist and indigenous leader. She previously served as President of the Naga Mothers' Association (NMA), Nagaland, and is also a former Convenor and current Advisor to the Indigenous Women’s Forum of North East India (IWFNEI).
In a congratulatory statement, Sunita Debbarma, Convenor of the IWFNEI extended its appreciation and full support to Chishi upon her election. “The Indigenous Women’s Forum of North East India (IWFNEI) warmly congratulates Ms. Khesheli Chishi on her appointment as Chairperson of NIWA. IWFNEI recognises her tireless efforts and remarkable leadership in advancing the rights and voices of indigenous women, both within the region and across Asia,” the forum stated.
Founded on October 15, 2004, the Indigenous Women’s Forum of North East India is a mass-based tribal women’s umbrella organisation committed to the empowerment, rights, and development of indigenous women in North East India. It is a member of both NIWA and the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP). “The forum takes great pride in Ms. Chishi’s achievements and extends its full support as she takes on this important continental role,” it added.
