A one day district level consultation on ‘Gender Based Violence’ organised by Integrated Rural Development Service Organisation( IRDSO) Wangjing, Thoubal district was held at Eikhoigee Pothasang building, Wangjing Khabakhong on Tuesday.
Speaking at the programme chief functionary, IRDSO Nonibala Narengbam said that gender-based violence is a form of violence directed towards an individual or group on the basis of their gender. Gender-based violence mainly happens to women and girls, she added.
She elaborated that one in three women will experience physical or sexual violence in her lifetime, and approximately one in four girls is married before the age of 18. It is widely recognised that in crises, the risk of gender-based violence is heightened.
Nonibala continued that COVID-19 outbreak and accompanying isolation policies led to increased risk of gender-based violence while simultaneously creating a unique set of challenges in the availability and accessibility of response services and compounding gender inequality and challenges in access to quality services for women and girls.
She further highlighted that according to the National Family Health Survey report 2019-21, more than 44 per cent of married women aged between 18-49 years in Manipur have experienced physical or sexual violence. The report stated that 3 per cent of women aged 18-49 in Manipur, who have ever been pregnant, have ever experienced physical violence during one or more of their pregnancies.
In the event, Reena Moirangthem, Legal cum Probation Officer, DCPU, Thoubal talked on “impact of harmful practices of early and forced marriage”, while N Suraj singh, Additional SP( LO) Thoubal spoke on “role of police and gender-based violence” and nodal officer Ksh Alex singh, one stop centre, Thoubal gave speech on “services provided by one stop centre and its assistance”.
The event which is supported by Axim premji philanthropic initiatives witnessed the presence of several meira paibis, lady police officers and women inmates from relief centres.
