By F Phibawanlang Kharpran
Patriarchy has been an intricate system followed by the country for many centuries and this also is the main reason for suppression faced by women in our country. Women in Meghalaya enjoy far more freedom and autonomy over their own lives when compared to women from other parts of the country. However, this seems hard to believe because a woman in Khasi society is considered as ‘ka kynthei shibor’ (a popular sexist remark given by Khasi men who considers women as the weaker sex), who rely on a man or ‘U rang khad-ar bor’ for safeguarding her life and dignity. It is often perceived that being a matrilineal state women have a high social status and are not subjected to suppression. But looking through various reports and statistical records, Meghalaya has seen a spurt in crime against women. During the year 1991, 49 cases of crime against women was recorded, this rose to 66 in 2001, 269 in 2011 and shot up to an alarming number 480 in 2014. The number of cases registered is 293 in 2016, which gives us a small hope towards a positive change. However, the recent news reports on cases such as sex-trafficking, rape and molestation in the very beginning of the year 2017 left us to question the status which women actually hold in our society.
We often are swayed by the wrong notion that women in our state enjoy supremacy and they are the rulers, but the truth is Patriarchy is not absent from our society. Power rests in the hands of the Maternal Uncle. What a woman enjoys in our society is only birthright and inheritance of the family property by the youngest daughter only; as a sister she owes reverence to her brother and as a niece she is expected to adhere to whatever decision is made by the Maternal Uncle in every sphere of her life. A man’s role as a husband and father is mainly that of a provider and protector of the family. The festive Dance of the Khasi in the form of Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem, shows us the harmonious nature of how matriliny functions in our own society. A man as a father, as a husband, as a brother, as an uncle, dances with strength and might to protect the dignity and honour of women from the filthy hands of an outsider, but sadly, the present situation in our society leaves us to question the credibility of this practice. Men holding important positions are abusing power and exploiting women for their own pleasure. Their presence is supposed to create a sense of security where women can live their lives safely under the circle of protection. But now as her own society is showing signs of decay caused by those who are her own flesh and blood she does not need to be scared of only an outsider to outrage her modesty; now she also needs to empower and defend herself from the brutality of her own people.
The Census of India 2011 shows a growing number of female population with a marital status such as widowed (5.75 percent), separated (1.77 percent) and divorced (0.47 percent) in our state and also there is a marked increase in the number of female headed households (24.41percent). This is not a healthy figure because as a woman she has to bear the burden of raising her family single-handedly. Traditionally, the maternal uncle has an important role in the upbringing and welfare of his sisters’ children which kind of balances the gender roles shared by a father and a mother in the upbringing their children. The growing number of single mothers (a reflection of the data on marital status and female headed households mentioned above) is a concern, since they are the ones who are highly vulnerable to crime and sexual harassment of different forms.
Talking about vulnerability, Meghalaya also records a high rate of domestic violence faced by women. Although the Marriage Registration Act 2011, was made compulsory it is yet to be fully implemented which leaves most women with no financial security when their spouse abandons them With the threat of mainstreaming lineage (in the likes of Syngkhong Rympei Thymmai)and the growing tug of war between the importance of a father’s role in protecting the family, over the role of the maternal uncle, this seems to be a crisis which is slowly creeping into our society.
It’s a known fact that at the grass-root level women are not allowed to participate in local governing bodies. Women themselves still perceive political affair as a disgraceful job. Since the time Meghalaya achieve its statehood in 1972 till the present term of the ruling government, only nine women were elected to the State Assembly. In the present Government led by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, although we boast of having women holding one-fourth of the strength in the Council of Ministers, to my surprise there seems to be no strong voice and no action from their part against the present crime scenario in Meghalaya. Strong and effective political participation of women is the need of the hour which clearly is absent in our state. Women holding important portfolios in the Government need to speak against injustice freely, without having to fear the consequences of losing their political careers to their male counterparts. Women also need to be represented in the local Dorbar Shnong so that their voices and opinions could positively impact those cases which concern the security and safety of women.
The only way to make women less vulnerable to crime and oppression is for us women to stand up for ourselves and come out from the thought of being ‘Ka kynthei shibor.’ Gone are the days where a woman is considered less than a man. We need to fight hand in hand with men who want to free our society from crimes against women rather than just sitting back and depending on others to do the job. We just need to step up and play our part; report cases of crime which we see happening around us, question the wrongdoings of those in power, raise our voice against injustice and stop being silent spectators.
( The writer is Research Scholar, Geography Dept., North Eastern Hill University)