SHILLONG: Chairperson in Charge of National Commission for Women (NCW), Rekha Sharma pointed out that women in the North Eastern states still have to go a long way in terms of their participation in politics, religious practices, business etc.
She was addressing the meeting on recommendations of the study on social, economic and political empowerment of women in North Eastern states at North East Council (NEC), Nongrim Hills on Tuesday.
She stated that the eight North Eastern states are very different in terms of customs, religion, language, political process and at the same time there are different tribes with different customs.
“Mainly, the difficulties are working with the tribe where the customs are different and not very positive for women related laws,” she said.
Sharma observed that women in the North East are at a disadvantaged with regard to their participation in religious practices, village level meetings and politics.
“From the religious practices to the participation in village level meetings… women are not allowed in many ways. And we have not seen many women participating politically, they are not contesting elections and very few MLAs are there. Politically, women are not empowered here,” she said.
On the financial standing of women in the North East, she said that though women are working in every field, yet they don’t possess certain rights like rights on land. “We have to work on these laws also,” she added.
Sharma mulled the idea of skill training for widows and single mothers by giving them financial help to start a business.
“We should take up the matter as a first priority so that they can sustain themselves, their families and to educate their children,” she added.
Referring to women farmers, she said that NCW will work on land rights for women farmers all over India.
She also spoke about women weavers who are facing difficulties on marketing their products and proposed the idea of training such women on how to market their products outside India as well.
On the recommendations of the study, Sharma said, “Slowly but steadily we will work on these recommendations.”