Stakeholders workshop on “gender-based violence” was organised by Nagaland State Rural Livelihood Mission (NSRLM), District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) Dimapur, Tuesday. According to a DIPR report, speaking at the workshop, Project Director (PD) cum District Mission Manager (DMM) District Mission Management Unit (DMMU), DRDA Dimapur, Moa Sangtam said the workshop was aimed to highlight the rights of women and sensitise public on gender-based discrimination and violence.
Noting that women were emerging as leaders across the world, Sangtam pointed out the situation in Nagaland where the state was still struggling with women representation. Highlighting the need to focus on changing the mindset of the people, he said NSRLM have been carrying out different campaigns, capacity training programmes and orientation to sensitize the public about gender discrimination.
Representing State Commissioner of Person with Disabilities (SCPWDs), Ashe Kiba said gender equality was not just a distant dream but a resounding call for equal rights, opportunities and access to resources for every individual.
She said women with disabilities face discrimination based on both gender and disability and also spoke at length about the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Sisterhood Network Dimapur (SND) director, Azungla James said the goals of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-5 was to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. In order to achieve the goal, she said there should be a collective effort to lift up women. She opined that gender equality was not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.
Representative from District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Dimapur, advocate Sangto Longchar, while speaking on “sexual harassment of women at work place”, said such harassment was violation of fundamental rights of a woman.
Prodigals Home, director, K. Ela emphasised on the importance of collectively fighting against gender-based violence. She lamented that even though women in Nagaland face discrimination and violence many of them are not “courageous” enough to report it to the competent authority, due to fear of discrimination from the stigma by society and family. She then encouraged the womenfolk to be courageous and to speak out.
Ela identified abusers of drug and alcohol, women with disabilities as “soft targets” and encouraged reporting of any incident of domestic abuse to toll free number 181. The programme was chaired by AC-SISF, BMMU, Dhansaripar, Soyingbeni, invocation was said by APO, DRDA, Dimapur, Sateninla, and vote of thanks was delivered by ADPM, NSRLM, DMMU, M. Yimok Phom.