Chizami Town Welfare Society Vs Sumi Women Society football match in progress as part of the public awareness campaign held at Chizami village on December 20.
Chizami, December 10 (MExN): NEN Nagaland in collaboration with Chizami Town Women Welfare Society, Sumi Women Society and Chizami Women Society held a public awareness campaign at Chizami village under the theme ‘Reimagining a world without Gender-Based Violence.’
It was held as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, 2020 which concluded on December 10. The day is also observed as International Human Rights Day.
NEN in a press release said that setting the context of the 16 days VAW campaign and International Human Rights Day, Seno Tsuhah NEN noted that, 'to build a world free from gender-based violence, it must start from home. “This is where we must learn the universal human rights values of fairness, equality, justice, dignity and respect.”
She further highlighted that COVID pandemic has disrupted all aspects of lives and livelihoods and women especially are affected the most. She added reports suggest that domestic violence have increased five times during this pandemic. Calling on the need to eliminate violence against women, she asserted 'Violence Against Women is not just a women's problem but a community problem and therefore we need the concerted efforts of diverse stake holders to address the problem'.
Guest speaker, Kezevino Krome, General Secretary of Chakhesang Mothers Association (CMA) in her speech highlighted the various forms of violence faced by women in both the private and public spheres, which remains unreported in most cases. She observed 'women are often conditioned to believe that it is our fate to face such violence; instead of reasoning and resisting it, we accept it as the will of God and choose to remain silent. Violence get normalised when we accept it'.
She further asserted 'Violence Against Women is not the will of God, and therefore we must change our mindsets and attitudes. Silence will only give power to violence'. She noted that 'majority of men in the world are good men but if they remain silent, they contribute to the growth of violence. Therefore, it is essential that we engage boys and men in conversations on issues of gender-based violence'.
Emphasising the importance of men and boys as key stakeholders in addressing gender-based violence; Colo Mero in his solidarity speech stated "No matter how much women have made progress or have achieved, Violence against Women cannot be stopped until men and boys change. And the surest way to end VAW is to raise our sons to fear God".
In addition, the programme concluded with a football match between members of Chizami Town Women Welfare Society, Chizami Women Society, Sumi Women Society and NEN staffs at Chizami Local Ground and a Volley ball match between NEN staffs and 14 Assam Rifle Chizami.
