Imphal, November 05: The 2nd State Women Convention held under the aegis of All India Trade Union Congress Working Women Forum, Manipur State Committee at Kangla Hall here today discussed various issues and problems concerning women in Manipuri society and the means to resolve them.

Making her observations as a resource person of the convention, president of All Manipur Lecturers' Welfare Association Pramodini said womenfolk are the worst sufferer both physically and mentally in the prevailing volatile situation of Manipur.

Inspite of working in both the organised and the un-organised sectors, women in Manipur are yet enjoy economic independence.

Apart from not giving regular salary to all the Government employees, women employees are given only 135 days of maternity leave and there is no provision for allowing them to take more leave than the prescribed days even if it is necessary, Pramodini noted.

Convenor of Working Women Forum, Manipur State Committee N Binodini noted that women working in both the organised and the as well as un-organised sectors in Manipur have been facing numerous problems including denial of the wage due to be given to them and absence of a proper forum to air their grievances.

So the Working Forum Women, Manipur has a long list of tasks to be performed, she said.

Some of the important tasks to ensure provision for maternity leave and allowance to all working women , to respect the dignity of working women and take up the cases of violating their dignity to the relevant authorities, to ensure provision for minimum wages to the Anganwadi workers and to increase the members of Indian Trade Union, Binodini explained.

Toward achieving all these, the Working Women Forum, Manipur would exert pressure for logical conclusion of the pending cases in connection with promotion of the supervisors of Anganwadi and for setting up separate Directorates for Social Welfare and Women & Child Development, she said.

Sit-in protest sessions have been held and memorandum submitted to the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in pursuance of these demands, she added.

The inaugural function of the convention was attended by Minister of Labour and Employment P Parijat Singh as chief guest, MLA N Mangi Singh as functional president an comrade Jotinkumar as guest of honour.

In his address, Labour and Employment Minister P Parijat said the minimum wage for labourers fixed by the State Labour Department at present is Rs 81 per day.

However, many of the women working in brick field, quarry as well as those engaged weaving activities and selling vegetables in the market have not been able to earn that amount in a day.

When the daily wage for a male labourer engaged in agricultural activities is Rs 80, a woman labourer is given only Rs 60 even if they doing the same work, he said, adding that the women has also not been able to raise their voice against such discrimination.

MLA Mangi pointed out that there is the need to put pressures on the authorities concerned for setting up hostels for working women, expansion of the maternity ward at RIMS, early completion of the Ima Keithel and for effective functioning of the health institutions in hill areas and remote villages.

Representatives of various women organisations and women employees of public and private sectors attended the convention.

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