SHILLONG: The crucial meeting between District Council Affairs Minister HDR Lyngdoh and the two CEMs (JHADC and KHADC) to discuss on the Village Administration Bills passed by the two Councils will be held on Wednesday.
Confirming this, Official sources on Tuesday said that the meeting will discuss all relevant papers pertaining to the Bills before taking a decision.
When contacted, KHADC CEM Pynshngaiñ N Syiem, who is presently camping in New Delhi, said that he would try his best to attend the meeting.
Meanwhile, expressing concern over the proposed Village Administration Bill not giving adequate importance to women empowerment, the prominent women’s organization, Ka Lympung Ki Sengkynthei, has called for corrective measures.
Moreover, DD Lapang-led committee, which was formed to empower traditional institutions, has only one woman representative. This has irked the Lympung Ki Sengkynthei which prompted its president Theilin Phanbuh to seek more women representation.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the Lympung Ki Sengkynthei Shillong (Coordination body of the different local women’s organization) has taken exception to the fact that women empowerment is not highlighted in the Village Administration Bill. The women’s panel also said that there should be more women in the Lapang led committee which at present has only a member from Lympung Ki Sengkynthei to represent the women.
Lympung Ki Sengkynthei said that during the meeting held on May 20, the Government had assured that more women representatives will be included in the committee. The President has also highlighted the absence of role of women and their participation in the Village Administration Bill 2014.
Lympung felt that it is high time that women should be given due recognition in the Local Dorbar, which constitutes half of the population and should not be ignored in a democratic country since women in of this generation have come forward and contributed in various aspects either for social development or in time of emergency to lend their support to the Dorbar Shnong.
“In this 21st century where all over the world, women’s participation is acknowledged and accepted, we cannot give excuses that we have to abide by our customary law . If we want a healthy democratic structure, true justice, accountability and transparency at the local governance, then there is no need to compromise on the issue of women’s participation at the local Institutions”, Phanbuh said
According to Phanbuh, women should have the right to attend Dorbar as members and responsible citizens. “They should have the right to know the function and activities of the Dorbar. Women can no longer be just a mere spectator. They should be welcomed with respect and actively involved in the all round development of the locality”, she said, adding that women’s participation will be an asset to the local Institutions.
Lympung Ki Seng Kynthei recently conveyed a meeting with the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong to discuss the Village Administration Bill where Lympung extended support to Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong and also assured to work together for development and welfare of people especially the poor and the downtrodden. The members have also expressed their support for the rally scheduled to be held on the May 30.
