Kohima, March 26 (MExN): A workshop on social and cultural rights was organised by Kuzhalhu Zawe supported by North East Network on March 24 at Baptist College, Kohima. 136 participants from 12 Kuzhami speaking villages attended the workshop, where certain resolutions were adopted appealing to all Kuzhami community institutions, village councils and women agencies to enforce adequate measures to ensure equal treatment, social justice and create cultural spaces which are not discriminatory towards women and girls in the community. They also made appeal to endorse respectful justice delivery mechanism for both men and women, encourage and ensure girl-child/women’s education from primary to professional levels and reduce drop-out rates, adopt measures to ensure equal wages for women and men, include women in all decision making bodies at the community levels, enable women to have access to information, right to choices and participate in institution building and sustainable development at the community level, and uphold the cultural heritage, values, linguistic traditions and Kuzhami ethos which signify the indigenous identity of the Kuzhami community.
Welcome and introduction was given by Seno Tsuhah, Women Co-coordinator, Kuzhalhu Zawe. Mikha Lomi, Recie Kuzhalhu Zawe shared his greetings and focused on protecting the Kuzha speaking community identity through language, usage of good cultural practices and strengthening unity amongst the community.
Rev Dr K Kapfo shared that from the time of Jesus, he struggled for the rights of women which are being enjoyed by the women in today’s time. She also focused on girl child education, building women’s leadership and encouraged women to rise up to the challenges.
Mezivolu T. Therie, Chief Judicial Magistrate in her session on basic legal rights with special reference to women emphasised on special laws created for women within the constitutional framework. She asserted that any cultural practices which are discriminatory against women should be removed. She also raised awareness on domestic violence, child marriage, human trafficking and sexual harassment of women at the workplace, targeting single women as witches.
Dr. Kewepfuzu Lohe, Vice Principal, Kohima Baptist College raised some pertinent issues related to the concept of righteousness, cultural values and taboos which exist in Kuzhami communities. He focused on the integral linkage between Kuzhami social values and Christian values which leads to the notion of right action which conforms to a social norm.
Welhipe-u Medo, convenor of the Attire Committee of Chakhesang Women Welfare Society explained the significance of every motif, symbol and use of such attires in various social and cultural occasions. Kekhrongulo-u Kapfo, convenor of Cuisine Committee CWWS shared about three kinds of foods - daily food, occasional food and special diet food for specific health needs. She focused on the food diversity which is acquired from homesteads, farms, forests and water bodies which can be made available to both urban and rural communities. Practices of value addition, cooking and processing methods will definitely cater to the changing palates and authentic culinary tastes of the Kuzha community, she said.
The different sessions were moderated by Vechulo-u Kanuo, Executive Director, CWWS, Kewekolo-u Ritse, Women Co-ordinator, Kuzhalhu Zawe.
