Additional chief secretary and commissioner Banuo Z Jamir Monday said there was a need to make space for women under Dobashi institution stating if she was given an option, she would have preferred to have a lady Dobashi or “even a lady body guard”.
Banuo was speaking at the 50th year golden jubilee celebration of Nagaland Dobashi Association (NDA) at local ground, Kohima.
She pointed out that out of 196 countries/nations, there were 27 women heads as “queens, presidents, prime ministers” and India just had a woman president before the current one.
Banuo also said there have been women chief ministers in various states while in Nagaland the first NCS officer was recruited as circle officer in 1970. At present, out of 231 members of the service, 63 were women, she said.
Observing the change in trend, the additional chief secretary said a growing number of women were now in every sector in the government and said ‘we need to be gender sensitive’.
Banuo noted that the state had women in the police, not just in the civil and traffic police but in the armed battalion as well.
On customary law and women, Banuo said there was “serious resistance” to women taking part in anything that had to do with customary practices/law.
When women in Naga society were subjected to customary laws and practices of the tribe, Banuo asked whether the women had her right to know what the customs were or to participate in the dispensation of laws.
Additional chief secretary said with education and awareness, issues involving women have now gained prominence and that there were many things about women that men did not know just as women did not know about men.
She stated that it was important that men and women be sensitive about each other and space must be made for women’s participation even in customary courts.
She made it clear that she was not referring to ‘reservation’, but referring to providing space to women to participate as equal partners in taking the society forward.
Changes were inevitable and it could come through smooth transition or trough strife and tension, said Banuo adding that Dobashi institution could be “the channelizing force of the change”.
The additional chief secretary also suggested tracing the history of evolution of the institution of Dobashi and to examine whether the institution was relevant in the present social context.
She further suggested re-defining the role of Dobashi besides contributing views to the state level committee instituted by the government.
Banuo’s other suggestions include prescribing eligible criteria to be a DB after defining the roles making it inclusive by giving space to women not through reservation but through equal competitive selection.
Another point Banuo made in her speech was the need for change reminding the ugly selection process of Village Council Members (VCMs) in some village during the last one/two years.
She said Nagas needed to restore and strengthen the tradition of “ethics, morals, values, courage, integrity” which were universal.
The same was needed to be demonstrated in manners different from what the forefathers has designed. Banuo said at present, Nagas were confronted with threats and fears which were quite different from what they had to face earlier which was primarily based on survival issues.