Awareness on protection of women's rights
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 02 2014: A one � day legal awareness program on the theme Protection of Women's Rights was held on June 1 (Sunday) at the premises of Minority Girls' Hostel, JNIMS Road, Hatta, Imphal (East) .

The programme organised by All Manipur Muslims (Meitei Pangal) Welfare Association (AMPWA) in association with the Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA) was attended by District & Sessions Judge, Manipur East, A Guneshwar Sharma, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Manipur East, A Noutuneshwori Devi, Chairperson of Manipur State Minorities Commission A Halim Chowdhury, IAS (Retd), President of AMPWA Prof MA Janab Khan, as the chief guest, guests of honour and president respectively.

Director Prosecution Ng Tejkumar Singh and Advocate Md Abdul Quayum delivered lectures as resource persons on the topics "Crime against Women, Drugs & Domestic Violence" and "Properties Rights for Muslim Women" respectively.

Tejkumar Singh, highlighting the issues related with various crimes caused against women, reiterated that such crimes begin right from the foetal status while the girl is inside the mother's womb.

If one identifies the sex of a child as girl in its foetal status, it is immediately aborted before maturation of the pregnancy which is a biggest crime punishable under law.

He also stated that the crime against the Muslim women is increasing day by day the situation of which would be tackled in time.

Speaking on the occasion, A Guneshwar said that religious barriers are preventing women to get legal assistance while protecting their rights.

Many communities have traditions of early marriage for women, which denied them proper education and lack of intelligence.

Domestic Violence Act 2005 has empowered the women and it protects them against domestic violence.

A Noutuneshwari said that Legal Services Authority has now been opened in every district of the State to provide legal aids to the women against any form of domestic violence at free of cost.

The main reason for women becoming victim of domestic violence is their lack of proper education and economic problems.

With the rising incidences of crimes against women, women in the State need to know more about the legal assistance they could get in various conditions.

Advocate Md Abdul Quayum talked on Property Right of Muslim Women and Director Prosecution Ngangom Tejkumar talked on Crime against Women, Drug and Domestic Violence as resource persons.

About 250 women delegates, students, religious leaders and intellectuals have also attended the programme.

Giving the key note address, AMPWA Secretary General Dr Md Raheijuddin Sheikh said that previously, the organisation was giving emphasis on educational awareness programs but as the Muslim Community is now no longer lagging behind the other communities in education, the organisation would like to draw attention of the people in giving awareness in any other fields like legal, drug abuse, economic and social topics.

He also highlighted the needs for organising such awareness programs very often in areas inhabited by the backward minority communities.

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