Wing Promoters put up charter of demands
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 12 2012:
The Women in Governance Promoters (Wing Promoters), a new body formed by women belonging to different walks of life, has put forward an 18 point charter of demand before all the candidates contesting in the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly elections.
Speaking to media persons at their Wangjing Bazar office today, Wing Promoters coordinator AK Pramo said that Wing Promoters was set up in 2009 with a view to promote capac ity building and ensure participation of women decision-making process both at domestic and social levels.
Majority of the members of the Wing Promoters are widows whose husbands were killed in gun violence, women living with HIV/AIDS and women who have been victimized by domestic violence, Pramo said.
Reminding about the heroic roles taken up Manipuri women in different periods of history, Pramo lamented that despite the heavy responsibility shared by womenfolk, they have not given their proper place in the decision making process and they are kept bound by several restrictions in the name of religion and tradition.
She said that the 18-point charter of demand was being put forward before all the candidates so that the demands are fulfilled by the next Government.
The charter of demands are; the candidates should give a picture of where and how Manipur would be in the next 20 years, acknowledgement of the struggle made by women and civil society organisations, empowering women to take part in decision making process at the social level, constitution of a council of advisors by the next Government which is sensitive to gender and public issues including status of human rights, formulation of a special plan for self-employment of widows whose husbands were killed in gun violence, widows living with HIV/AIDS and women victimized by domestic violence.
Formulation of State gender and children policy, discarding the system of political appointments in State Commission for Women and Manipur Human Rights Commission, 50 per cent reservation for women in Autonomous District Councils of hill districts, establishment of price fixation committee in every district and proper implementation of the Domestic Violence Act etc.
This initiative is seen to be very significant as the State is going to polls amidst varied issues on January 28 .