A one-day awareness programme on "Women Rights and Responsibilities for Sustainable Development" was held on Friday at Kwakeithel Junior High School in Imphal The programme was organised by the Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) in collaboration with the Manipur State Commission for Women (MSCW).
Women welfare secretary, DESAM, Sanoujam Nikita, in her keynote address, stated that women of Manipur plays a significant role in the socio-economic activities since time immemorial. But participation in decision making and policy making is very low till date, she said.
To strengthen the number of women in such field, she stressed that there is essence of gender sensitisation in order to promote gender equality in every space. Noting that crimes against women is on the rise day by day in the state, she said that the state government should focus on setting up fast track courts in every districts.
Besides this, Nikita also drew attention of the authority concerned to take up initiatives for giving security cover or protection to eye-witnesses of crimes and their families.
She continued that without eye-witnesses, it would be very challenging to give free and fair justice of any kind of crimes. As such, the state government should focus on encouraging witnesses, she added.
One of the presidium members of the function, chairperson, MSCW, Binota Meinam highlighted that 51 percent of population is women but only Rs 560 crore was earmarked for women in the budget.
While pointing out that allocated budget seems to be very low, she said that women of the state has been demanding for hiking the amount. She noted that participation of women in decision making process is very low in the state and appealed to the people of state to encourage the women in decision making process.
President, Women Association for Socio-Economic Development (WASEDEV), RK Tharaksana was also present during the function.
