TODAY -
Manipuri women take the lead to fight injustice
Prabin Kalita, TNN - TOI| Jan 13, 2012, 03.16AM IST:
Does the 'empowered Manipuri woman' actually exist or is the phrase just a myth? Even though the world sees the militancy-ravaged, but culturally-advanced and sport powerhouse, state as one of the few places in the country where women are truly free and respected, the womenfolk of Manipur - 'Nupi' in the Meitei dialect - still see themselves as victims.
Issues like domestic violence, HIV, sexual assault, gang rape, murder and now human trafficking still plague the women of the state. This perhaps explains why Manipur is home to numerous women-empowerment groups - there is one for HIV-positive women, another for widows of conflict, and another for victims of domestic violence. But these organistaions have not been able to shift the world's focus from shocking incidents - including recent naked protests by elderly Meitei women against rapes by Assam Rifles. Manipuri women, along with the rest of the country, now looks in awe at the fast by Irom Sharmila Chanu, the "Iron Lady of Manipur", who for the last 11 years has been protestiong the imposition of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
As many as six women's groups - including Conflict Widows' Forum, Christian Network of Positive Women, Survivors' Action for Human Rights, and Domestic Violence Survivors' Group - staged a demonstration at Imphal's Palace Compound on January 8 urging the state to set up an extra-ordinary court to deal with cases of crimes against women and children.
With the January 28 polls around the corner, members of WAD are organising training camps across constituencies. "We are urging people, particularly women, not to vote for those who offer money. We must elect the ones who has concerns for the country," Mangsatabam said
According to activists, there is one stark statistic that explains the plight of women -the absence of women in state politics. "There was just one woman in the last assembly, and she was the chief minister's wife. She could not make a stand for woman," said Mangsatabam. Meitei women are actively working to change the way they live. Mangsatabam said: "Now we have women in panchayats and councils. In the pradhan election, women and men share equal seats. We now need to make our presence felt in the assembly."
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* This Post is uploaded on January 13, 2012
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