Seminar dwells on the poser 'Is there gender equality ?'
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 19 2017:
The concept that ‘woman is enemy of woman ‘ is a myth that needs to be broken, said Dr Vijayalakshmi Brara adding that men are as much victims as women in the social system.
Matriarchy is a myth that does not exist, she said .
Dr Brara is Associate Professor at Manipur Study Centre, MU .
Speaking at a seminar on ” Is There Gender Equality in our Society ?” organised by Women Affairs Department of Kuki Inpi, Manipur at Kuki Inn, Imphal today, Brara said that men are as indoctrinated as women and are as much a victim as women of the social system .
On the rise of violence in the State, Brara stated that while "we fight against sexual assault of women by security forces, today it is our own men who are accused of rape and sexual abuse."
Nandini Thokchom, who works at Indigenous Perspective and is a human rights activist quoted a disturbing trend of women census in Manipur.
Elaborating, Thokchom said that in the 1951 and 1961 sex ratio, women were above 1000 .
The ratio declined to 950 from 1971 .
Speaking further at the seminar, Thokchom also presented an important but overlooked issue on the disturbing trend of girls school drop outs .
“One of the main reasons is due to the absence of toilets,” said Thokchom.
Girls at puberty face lots of privacy and sanitation issue which is considered unimportant even in educational set ups” she added .
Immanuel Varte emphasised that women’s rights is a birthright and added that women should claim it .
Emphasising the role and responsibility of men in advancing the birth right of women, Varte said “men need to understand and be ready to pave the way for women to claim their birth right.”
Women empowerment should begin at home .
Talking of customs and practises, Varte said that women are being commodified, such as in the case of marriage where women are pressured and expected to bring huge wedding gifts to the husband’s house.
Reverend Benjamin Shakum who spoke on the role of women and men in the Church said that there are no women in Church administration.
Women have a separate department in terms of women department but they never take the role of Pastor or Deacon except for a few exception.
The first ever such consultative seminar organised by Kuki Inpi Manipur, Women Affairs Department was aimed at bringing like minded women leaders and men .
KIM women affairs chairperson Tara Manchin Hangzo said the consultative seminar is to bridge the gap between men and women and initiate a constructive dialogue.
The consultative meet will also compile a set of recommendations and suggestions for various policy changes for advancing gender equality to the State Government and other important institutions including the Church.