The 16-day ‘International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women’ campaign has called upon all families to act now to end violence against women and girls and show support and solidarity to women’s rights activists and to resist the rollback on women’s rights.
The campaign was held from November 25 to December 10.
In connection with the campaign, Top Naoria Meitei Leima VLF, Kongpal Iranpham Thongkhongm, in support of Women Action for Development, conducted an awareness programme on the theme at OYO Community Hall on Sunday.
During the campaign, resource persons expressed concerns on the never-ending gender-based violence against women and girls in India stating that the 16 days of activism are observed in India too with women’s rights organisations and activists raising awareness around.
Advocate W Basanta said the International Human Rights Day is observed on December 10 across the state to end human rights violations. However, violation of rights is happening across the nation non-stop, the advocate said.
Secretary United NGO Mission Manipur, Urikhinbam Nabakishore spoke about the influence of international big banks that creates violence against women and powerful forces that cover the public from expressing their violation of rights.
Zila Parishad of Top Naoria, Kshetri Tama said violence against women and girls vary from family to society. Women themselves allowed cultural rights violations and not a single of them stood up against such violation, she lamented.
“It is true that violation starts from the family by mother herself”, said Tama. The mother only starts differentiating boy and girl and such discrimination is also one of the major causes of violence against women or girl, she added.
Looking at the cultural system of Meitei community, discrimination-like situation can be seen in any ceremony with men leading the ceremony, she said and questioned why women can’t lead the ceremony if they are considered high in the society. Why would women, mainly the mother, not take part while making the decision of marriage too, she questioned further.
So, education is becoming more important for every child to learn facts and falsehoods of the society to bring about a change, she opined and called for a change, starting in the family with the role of mothers vital. Mothers should teach and educate their children well to end any discrimination, she said.
The awareness programme was attended by president of Top Naoria Meitei Leima VLF, T Purnima Devi; District Mission manager, Imphal East, Naoshram Basanta and members of Top Naoria Meitei Leima VLF.
