Dimapur: The debate on gender equity in decision making is gaining momentum in the patriarchal state of Nagaland with feminist writers coming out with their opinions in the local dailies defending their rights in promoting greater democracy with issues of women’s needs and concerns in order to grow in strength and vitality.

These women maintain that while the family’s survival depends on the women’s decision-making, it is still not socially acceptable for women to make decisions on community matters.

“The women’s role in decision-making is blocked by customs that give power to the men, which many justify as tradition and culture,” stated Ms Hekani Jakhalu, an Advocate and a former intern, Committee on Status of Women, United Nations HQ, New York in one of her presentations with special reference to Naga women.

As a result, she said “Women have little experience or skill on matters regarding the administration of the community.”

She also maintained that in many indigenous groups, there is no clear opportunity for women to participate in decision-making, particularly in the community’s activities, ceremonies, festivals or the hearing of cases. “It seems that few women participate in the administration of the community,” she added.

“Society’s norms and customs sometimes supersede the sense of justice and fairness of the community, and women also contribute to perpetuating such norms. It is therefore very important to subject each issue to a process of reflection. For example, in some societies, a woman who is raped or taken advantage of by her suitor and becomes pregnant is forced to marry the person,” she further pointed out adding that every society needs to challenge its norms on women and review unwise decisions on gender issues.

Close on the heels of Ms Jakhalu’s contention, the Congress party has also accused the NPF led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government of being nonchalant over the issue.

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) in a statement said the DAN government is caught between ‘for’ and ‘anti’ in the 33% women reservation.

Apparently referring to the deferment of Nagaland Municipal/Town Council polls, the NPCC further said the excuse ‘for political solution is absurd, illogical and misuse of power.

The NPCC therefore told the state government that women should also be given opportunity to participate to ‘allow them to grow with the art of governing.’

It may be mentioned here that the present tenure of municipal/town councils was to expire in 2009 and new civic polls was to be conducted. However, with various voices emerging against the Cabinet decision, Nagaland minister for Urban Development and Higher Education Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu on December 22 in a press statement said that the deferment of elections to Urban Local Bodies in Nagaland was because of long standing Naga political issues and has nothing to do with 33% reservation of seat for women.

The postponement of elections to the civic bodies has stirred the proverbial hornets nest with Naga women leaders now voicing dissent and demanding the polls be held on schedule with the implementation of the 33% Women Reservation Act. (NNN)

~ The Shillong TImes

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