Nagaland joined the rest of the world to observed the ‘International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women’ and also launched the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, which will end on December 10 coinciding with the Human Rights Day.
The event was held in the heart of the state capital Kohima (Old NST junction) under the theme “Unite! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”, where women from different walks of life attended the open-air programme organized by Nagaland State Commission for Women, Social Welfare department, State Hub for Empowerment of Women and BPPP-District Administration, Kohima.
Speaking at the special guest, DGP Nagaland Rupin Sharma emphasized the essential need for equality to truly reflect equitable treatment for all individuals. While urging men to recognize and respect the differences among people, Sharma stressed on the importance of gender equality.
Drawing attention to the issue of inadequate representation of women, he pointed out the shortage of women in police department. He conveyed his intent to elevate participation of women in the law enforcement agency. DGP also highlighted the profound understanding of discrimination that arises from being subjected to it, linking it to the perception of violence against women and children. Sharma attributed these issues to entrenched traditional mindsets and societal beliefs that portray women as inherently weak.
He said that it was crucial to shift the mindset of “I am the master of the house” and acknowledge that women were striving to assert their strength and independence. There is a need to recognize that the world does not operate in this manner and provide space for women to establish their own footing, he said.
He further maintained that physical abuse was unequivocally unacceptable and must be reported to authorities, with zero-tolerance approach. Sharma also said that establishing a mechanism, in collaboration with social justice and other relevant departments, for reporting and documentation was essential, not only for legal action but also to offer professional counselling and access to effective counselling services, which is a critical need in addressing these issues.
In her keynote address, secretary Social welfare, Martha R. Ritse pointed out that violence against women and girls (VAWG) remained one of the most prevalent, pervasive and systematic human rights violation in the world, affecting more than the estimated 1 in 3 women and continues to be mostly unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.
She said that Nagaland has joined the rest of the world to commemorate event and launched the 16-day activism against gender-based violence.
In his brief address, deputy commissioner Kohima Kumar Ramnikant spoke on the prevalence of silence in the face of violence against women, noting that the issue extended beyond just the victims to encompass their families, neighbors, organizations, and the community as a whole.
He emphasized that the problem is not confined to a specific locality and acknowledged that while there have been some improvements, progress has been gradual.
On the theme “invest,” he stressed that the focus was not solely on financial contributions but also on making a commitment and dedicating time and energy to address the issue. Ramnikant emphasized the importance of changing mindsets, particularly among the younger generation, and called for educating male child.
He also highlighted the availability of helpline numbers for women and children in distress– 1098 and 181 and 9485239098. On the occasion, Dr. Theyiesinuo Keditsu, indigenous feminist, poet, academic & educator read a poem while Mengu Suokhrie and Lenen Jamir enthralled the gathering with their special presentation in songs.