Lady advocates' meet wraps up
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 25 2018: Many women advocates, women activists and intellectuals from across the North East region and other parts of India stressed on various agenda related to women, including gender equality and women empowerment, domestic violence, women and child trafficking and human Rights during the "Two Day North East Lady Advocates' Conference" which began yesterday at Court Hall, Manipur University, Canchipur.

The conference organized by Adhivakta Parishad in association with Legal Cell, Manipur University, concluded today.

Gauri Shankar Chakraborty, member of All India Karyakarmi, I Jugeshwar Singh, president of Adhivakta Parishad, Manipur and T Bilashini Devi, former Director of Family Welfare Department, graced the closing session as the chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

Lady advocates' meet wraps up

Speaking at the event, All India Karyakarmi member Gauri Shankar Chakraborty underscored the need of empowering the womenfolk of India saying that women make up almost half of the country's population.

He asserted that every woman is a source of energy and power and opined that women empowerment can be achieved after realization of the potential they possess.

Hence, the most important task of the society in empowering women is to make them understand about their power and capabilities by encouraging them and providing considerable support, he added.

Chakraborty highlighted that women in ancient India were highly honoured and they even participated in the adjudication tasks of the society.

Contending that there should not be any disparity between male and female groups in the society, he noted that women must be given proper education so that they can decide or judge the rights and wrongs of life themselves.

On the other hand, Chakraborty expressed disappointment at the ever increasing crimes against women and incidents of girls and women being harassed and sexually exploited even in their schools, offices and work places.

Pointing out that many women from different parts of India, including Rani Gaidinliu and Kalpana Chawla, made great contributions to the society, he observed that Indian women can move far ahead if adequate opportunities are given to them.

While emphasizing on the importance of upholding values of life by women groups, he remarked that the good old values of Indian society needs to be preserved and the obsolete principles need to be modernized in accordance with time and requirements.

He added that modernization does not necessarily mean westernization, but the standardization to bring positive outcomes.

Saying that the status of women in Manipur and other North East States is high, Chakraborty pointed out the existence of Ima market is a perfect example of women being honoured in the State.

He also lauded the way women are being treated in other parts of the North East region, such as in Khasi and Jaintia societies of Meghalaya.

He then opined that more lady advocates should come up in the country and must make active participation in social issues and in the justice delivery system.

Health and Family Welfare's former Director T Bilashini asked the lady advocates to give special attention to the increasing rate of crimes committed against women in Manipur and India and further appealed them to try to deliver justice in time to the victims and their families.

She stated that such conference will be quite beneficial to the women, particularly the lady advocates of the State at this juncture when crimes committed against women are increasing at an alarming rate in the State.

Noting that women play a pivotal role in society and families in Manipur, she asked all women to come forward and involve themselves in social issues to bring peace and harmony in the State.