Inotoli Zhimomi
This weekend the world observes International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. November 25th is the day declared by the United Nations General Assembly as the day to acknowledge and address this deep injustice against women. In Melbourne, Australia, where I live, numerous activities and programs are being held across the city to observe the event. We reflect our achievements so far and on what more could be done to bring an end to violence against women.
Amidst such buzz, I can’t help but to travel back in my mind and heart to my home, Nagaland. Rape and domestic violence against Naga women and young girls are reportedly on the rise. I think of all those young girls and women who are raped and molested – of their shame, anger, helplessness and the doom that awaits them. I think of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunties, uncles, cousins and other relatives, those who are ashamed, confused and at times blaming the victims for all the shame and miseries that is the legacy of an assault. I cannot help but be enraged that so many rapists remain on the loose without being held accountable for their actions – because the system doesn’t work. One of the many reasons why the system doesn’t work is because it is being abused by the powerful relatives of the perpetrators and their political allies.
An important initiative was undertaken in 2010. While observing International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Nagaland State Women’s Commission (NSWC) launched the White Ribbon Campaign (WRC). WRC is an international campaign led by men is an effort to tell men to stop violence against women. At the launch, the Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, Alemtemshi Jamir , who was the campaign’s first ambassador, said that violence against women had to be understood and not just spoken about. He has rightfully pointed out that violence against women was reflective of the nature of society. It is the symptom of a disease affecting the society. Jamir, then proposed that men should wear the White Ribbon, considering that men were most often the ‘abusers’. Similarly, Ms Sano Vamuzo, the chairperson of NSWC, called out that it was time Naga men spoke out on the issue of violence against women and that men themselves should be agents of change.
The initiative has been significant for Naga society. The call for men to begin the journey to become agents of change rather than remaining perpetrators of violence is noteworthy.
But where do we begin? Speaking at the same launch, IGP training & border officer P. Jongpong Jamir presented a profound analysis when he said that ‘the degradation of women’s status in Naga society could be the result of gender inequality and a patriarchal system in which women are not included for any kind of policy and decision making’.
One can hardly disagree that there is structural discrimination that Naga women are subjected to under the guise of a traditional system. But we need childlike eyes to truly see and understand the missing piece of the Naga history: women and their role. I have had a glimpse of such future through interaction with our seven years old boy Kivi.
A couple of weeks ago, Kivi, our eldest son, brought home a book called ‘The Lost Tombs of Tutankhamun’ for his daily home reading activity. The book talks about the tombs of the ancient Egyptian kings and the amazing artefacts from their tombs that depict their much-celebrated lives. According to the story, as well as the elaborate and testimonial artefacts of their rich and famous backgrounds, the dead pharaohs are also sent to the netherworld with their favourite furniture and other things they like and need. All these objects are to help set up the dead ruler’s life that is believed to continue after death. Amidst this gloriously amazing story backed with ancient and rich visual effects, Kivi suddenly asked: ‘Wait a minute, what about the women? Do the wives and daughters die too? And do they get to do what the kings and other men get when they die?’
I did the obvious and responded, ‘You are right. The women’s part of the story is not mentioned here. Can we keep reading?’ Kivi replied simply, ‘Oh, it’s not fair. I would be upset if I didn’t get treated the same way’. I stole a minute to drift away from reading and indulged secretly in feeling very proud of Kivi but also reminded myself of the special responsibility we do have as parents, towards our two boys, to encourage respect for women and the concept of equality while they are still young. I was torn between wanting to open up the whole issue of gender inequality and discuss it with him and equally wanting to protect him yet from this harsh reality. Back to present, I decided to focus on the case in hand – reading. With the clock ticking on and bed-time fast approaching, it was not the time for such a complex story. Not tonight. We did finish the story. The missing picture of the grand ancient-rich culture however, is hanging alive both in our thoughts and in our daily conversations to date.
As a mother, I am very proud of Kivi for initiating the questions ‘why not women’ and ‘whatever happened to them’ in the story. Even more memorable, was his personalised articulation, innocent yet profound: ‘I would be upset if I didn’t get treated the same way’. Wouldn’t you?
And when I explained what I was writing to Kivi and I puzzled for a title, he suggested simply this: Women should be respected.
Discrimination against women is not just a women’s issue. It needs a holistic approach. It is well-known established knowledge that persistent discrimination against women is the root cause of violence against women. According to World Bank data, women aged 15-44 are more at risk from rape and domestic violence than from cancer, car accidents, war and malaria. Violence against women in police custody is common and includes sexual violence, inappropriate surveillance, strip searches conducted by men and demands for sexual acts in exchange for privileges or basic necessities.
According to the UN, it is estimated that, worldwide, one in five women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime. It is shocking but true that perpetrators can include their husbands, partners, acquaintances, as well as complete strangers.
The impacts of violence against women are multitudinous. Such attacks can harm:
• women’s health and diminishes their ability to participate in public life.
• families and communities across generations and
• reinforces other violence prevalent in society
A change in behaviour will come about only when attitudes also shift. But there must be willingness to engage with an open heart questions both hard and soul searching, if genuine changes are to come about.
Addressing and preventing such heinous crimes against women and children in our community or for that reason, any community, will need a coordinated action involving the judiciary, police, state and community organizations and the broader community. Such action needs vision. One that builds constructive structure that is gender inclusive and participatory. Otherwise, we are risking ourselves to give in to another empty rhetoric and an exercise that phony moral dressing. Our current inadequacies in the proper prosecution of rapists and the lack of appropriate assistance to the victims point to what is lacking – the political will and the vision from those who hold leadership. We have long waited for the political determination of the Naga nation but have forgotten the wellbeing of the people without whom a nation cannot be formed.
Remember the famous opposition on the women’s quota in politic? What does it tell us and the world about us as a society? Might one not take the absence of and the objection to women’s participation in politics as indicative of how lowly women are treated and how excluded they are from power sharing in our society? These are questions that will not go away and thus require rethinking, with open minds and hearts. The global context also begs us to rethink our attitudes as the UN continues to actively push State members to provide quotas to accelerate women’s participation in politics. Whether we remain within India or achieve some sort of whatever-is-being-secretly-talked-about arrangement, the Naga political body and traditional bodies will have to bring ourselves to a certain level of political maturity by adhering to some fundamental expectations of gender equality in the political sphere. Failing to take notice of such considerations amounts to an institutionalised and persistent discrimination against women.
This weekend marks the 13th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly’s declaration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW). I hope that my Naga community is observing this significant global event. And I hope that our observation brings with it an understanding of our responsibility and our commitment towards eliminating violence against the mothers, sisters, aunties and daughters, of the Naga.
(The writer has a Master of Law on Public and International from the University of Melbourne, Australia. Email: inotoliz@gmail.com)
