Lady from the hills faces discrimination in the town

Ch Priscilla Thiumai *

Manipur's 1st Cherry Blossom Festival held at Kayinu Village, Mao Gate, Senapati in November 2017 :: Pix - Kriti RK

She is a beautiful lady from the hills with a simple heart. Her beauty is natural and pure, untouched by cosmetics or beauty enhancers, unlike an urban lady. Her clothes are shabby, and her hair is unkempt due to the demanding routine of various roles — household chores, cultivation, and other daily activities.

She is an enchanting yet unattainable figure, unable to enhance her beauty due to her heavy workload. This does not mean that she does not wish to be elegant and well-groomed, but her way of life is so consumed by responsibilities that she has little time for herself.

Her life is simple, yet she possesses strong multitasking and managerial skills at home. She struggles from dawn until the cold dusk every day unless her health prevents her. She cooks and serves food for her family, a task that involves physical labor, mental effort, and the nurturing of children and the elderly.

Fetching water and firewood remains unavoidable and burdensome, preventing her from dedicating time to her health, appearance, and clothing. As a result, she often appears shabby.

Discrimination in Urban Areas

When a woman from the hills visits town or urban areas, she frequently faces discrimination in markets, public places, hospitals, and hotels. She is often humiliated due to her naïve nature. Since she rarely visits the town, she struggles with the common language, making her an easy target for bullying.

These negative attitudes shake her confidence as a woman, discouraging her from visiting the town, where people engage in the exchange of goods and services. Such discrimination carries a strong negative impact, not only on her self-esteem but also on her participation in the broader economy.

Therefore, the logic is, women from the hills are often the victims of discrimination. The toll of discrimination is so costly that it can leave a long term impression on the society of hill areas that deter them from striving forward. The discrimination on her has impaired the recognition of human rights based on economic status - occupation, income, etc.

She is a Food Provider

The lady from the hills plays a crucial role as the backbone of food production for her family. She is also a key figure in maintaining natural vegetation and producing organic vegetables. Most demanding minor forest products such as mushrooms, banana stems, medicinal barks, herbs, and other wild plants, are made available by hill women.

However, people often fail to recognize that these women contribute significantly to food security at her best capacity. The preservation of seeds, planting crops, and distribution of the products to consumers are important parts of her agricultural activities. She also plays an important role in food sovereignty, being the custodian of the traditional ways of cultivation, planting her choices food crops.

During buying and selling, customers often bargain to the lowest price without considering the costs of transportation and spoilage of vegetables that come from remote villages. Organic products are undervalued compared to inorganic ones. Despite these challenges, she remains a pillar of the economy. Women in rural areas demonstrate remarkable resilience, and the “she-economy” is thriving in many households.

Discrimination in Health Care Centre

Discrimination and unequal treatment are commonly found in healthcare institutions. (This is based on my own experience during childbirth, as well as open-ended interviews with other women.)

Status-based stratification leads to unequal treatment and systemic barriers in hospitals. As a result, complications arise, leading to high maternal mortality rates. Many women have lost their lives due to delayed attention from healthcare workers. Numerous deaths occur due to negligence based on social and economic status.

Discrimination is one of the main reasons people hesitate to seek regular health check-ups. To ensure equal access to healthcare, hospital authorities must strictly enforce rules and regulations to save lives. To eliminate discriminatory practices that deny proper care based on gender, race, or social status, anti-discrimination policies should be adopted and re-evaluated regularly.

Verbal Abuse and Discriminatory Remarks

Offensive and discriminatory remarks are commonly heard in marketplaces and busy urban areas. Facing discrimination on a daily basis can undermine self-worth, as low-status individuals may internalize the negative societal attitudes directed toward them (Meyer, 1995; Ridgeway, 2011).

This can lead to self-stereotyping, and mastery of low self-esteem, and a lack of confidence. People are frequently judged and treated based on their physical appearance and economic background.

Conclusion

Women from the hills are often victims of discrimination. The impact of such treatment is profound, leaving long-term effects on society that it discourages them from striving forward to venture other various value added activities that can improve their economy.

There is no doubt that there are big avenues for those who really search for. But, generally for most common women, the impetus of discrimination is so strong that it makes them feel as if their status is ascribed status.

Many fail to recognize that the woman they look down upon—the one they dismiss as a simple villager—is actually a hardworking mother raising children who may one day contribute significantly to the nation’s economy. It is clear that such women have produced not only national but also global citizens.

According to the most recent UN General Assembly on the principle of equality, “Any doctrine of social superiority is scientifically false, socially unjust, and dangerous—and must be rejected.”