Governor attends WinG North East India conference
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, November 25 2018: Women in Governance (WinG) North-East India Conference and the 16-Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence Campaign was held at Hotel Classic, Grande, Imphal with Governor Dr Najma Heptulla as Chief Guest, today.

Speaking at the occasion, the Governor said that it is heartening to know that during the campaign, eminent women leaders, women human rights defenders, women activists and many more from across the country and the North-East States are participating for such a worthy cause.

She wished both the conference and the campaign a grand success.

Dr Najma conveyed that WinG was initiated in the year 2009 with women representatives from WinG North-East and women from marginalized communities across India and work towards promoting leadership within local governance.

The general objective of WinG is to help in grooming women leadership as change agent in peace building process with awareness and capacity building.

She further stated that this year the main agenda of the conference is to reflect, deliberate and march ahead with the slogan "From Victimhood to Survivor to Change Agents" .

Governor attends WinG North East India conference

"The conference will take stock of its interventions, advocacies, campaigns and deliberate on how to take forward achievement of the past years and also look into the context of the current situations.

The conference is an attempt to scale up campaign, strengthen, expand the WinG network and stand in solidarity with individuals who are victim and survivors of violence and deliberate on emerging issues that affect women and women's decision making at all levels", said the Governor.

Dr Najma also said that violence perpetrated against women and girls are increasing rapidly.

She stated that violence against women and girls is one of the most pervasive human rights violations and also an important public health issue.

She added that women's health and domestic violence against women are very much interlinked and it has been a bane on human society down the ages.

Saying that violence against women is prevalent in all demographics, she added that sex workers, migrant workers, women living with disabilities, women with refugee status, indigenous women and transgender women are most vulnerable to experience discrimination.

The Governor further stated that violence against women continues to be an obstacle to achieve equality, development, peace and fulfilment of women and girls' human rights.

She also asserted that the promise of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cannot be fulfilled without putting an end to such issue.

Women in the North-East are known for their economic contribution in the family and community, especially in Manipur as women have been in the forefront of all social activities, confronting different challenges, said the Governor.

Dr Najma exuded confident that the conference will help in achieving gender equality and also provide space for women leadership building.

She also encouraged WinG to continuously work for the welfare of women and girls.

As part of the conference, a documentary film of 'WinG NE on Women in Decision Making' was also screened.

In her welcome address, Bondita Acharya, WinG Assam said that the organization has planned to expand WinG in another 4 States.

The WinG NE India conference under the theme 'Strengthening the role of women collective in Governance and in decision making' will conclude tomorrow.

In the technical session, WinG Nagaland, Mizoram, Assam and others will speak on various topics.

The conference was attended by Chairperson, Manipur State Commission for Women Prof Dr Meinam Binota as guest of honour and Convenor, WinG India Asha Kowtal as president.

DIG (AP-I) Mamata Wahengbam and many WinG members from Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram also attended the event amongst other.