Women abusers, rapists become decision makers: Dr. Ashwani

Nagaland Governor Dr. Ashwani Kumar Friday lamented that despite the right to gender equality, enshrined in the Indian Constitution, there was a huge gap between what was laid in the constitution and the reality. He said lofty ideals of equality remained confined to books and were not translated into actual practice as gender discrimination was widely spread.
Dr. Ashwani said female ratio  in the population were declining at an alarming rate, girls were killed even before they were born and “women abusers and rapists” were elected and become decision makers while hardly 7 to 10% women were able to get elected to state assemblies and parliament.
Addressing the two-day Women empowerment and leadership summit, Friday at Bamboo Hall, Kisama, Dr. Ashwani said the right to gender equality details were mentioned in the chapters on fundamental rights, fundamental duties and directive principles of the state policy, which are also embedded in all the law books.
He said the government was duty bound to take measures and ensure equal playing field for all the girls/women in education, employment and economy. He regretted that the situation was worse in some of the Northeastern states as assemblies and local bodies did not have women representatives.
He said: “I think it is the mindset and the status quo mentality which was the biggest hindrance”. Dr. Ashwani said that the 1990, decision to amend the constitution by introducing 73rd and 74th amendment to reserve seats for women in local urban bodies and village level institutions, was yet to be implemented in some of the NE states.
He said women’s participation in decision making was most vital for quick and balanced progress which was why the government has clubbed the departments of women and child welfare in the same ministry.
The governor also said that empowerment of women is something much more than mere reservation of seats in elected local bodies and legislative assemblies as empowerment implies equal partnership in all walks of life for which women need properly educated and make economically independent.
He pointed out women could make efforts in information technology, computers, internet and social media that were going to be the greatest empowering tools of the 21st century citing the incident where the government and society were forced to make stringent laws in no time during the gruesome incident of rape and murder of a girl in Delhi.
He stated that had it not been for information technology, it would have taken several year/decades to bring about required changes.
Guest of honor, parliamentary secretary, women development, Pukhayi Sumi in his speech said that the vision of the Government of Nagaland under the initiative of Women Department strives to promote women empowerment, conscription of women participations and leadership training, to boost Social Economic and Political Status of women, through state sponsored workshop, seminars, loan facilities, SHGs, training cum production centre, Integrated Development cum Resource Centres, capacity building and awareness generation programme. He expressed confidence that through the summit, the fire within women would be ignited to bring change.
The two day Women Empowerment leadership summit under the theme “Support Influence and Excel” organized by Alaphra Group would be focusing on how women are leading the next decade and ways to accelerate growth through womenomics.
During the two days summit experts will share their knowledge and conduct various sessions related to women empowerment.
Padmashree Sentila T. Yanger delivered the opening remarks while M.D. Alaphra Group, Ricky Ozukum proposed the welcome speech during the inaugural session.
The second session was followed by a panel discussion on a multidimensional approach to women empowerment with editor in chief Eastern Mirror Bano Haralu was the moderator of the session. Speakers involved ‘through the government’ Sriparna B. Baurauh, head centre for industrial extension, Indian institute of entrepreneurship (IIE) Guwahati, executive director North East Network Dr. Monisha Behal through NGOs, Chairman APAC CXO forum Ajay Dhir-through private sector undertakings and through education- Associate professor, Manipur University Dr. Vijaylakshmi Brara.