Benito Z. Swu
Women empowerment means to make women powerful enough that they can take their own decisions regarding their lives and wellbeing in the family and society. It is an active multidimensional process which should enable women to realize their full identity and powers in all sphere of life. It encompasses their ability to make choices, control resources and enjoy participatory relationship within family and community. Women empowerment has many factors to it – social, political, economical, educational and legal. It should all translate into making women as stated above.Any assessment of the status of women has to start from the social framework and social structures. Cultural norms and the value systems influence social expectations regarding the behavior of both men and women, and determines women’s role and her status in the society. The position of women in the Naga society is much better as compared to the women in mainland India. In our Naga society, women are equal partners and bread earners. Apart from traditional practices of Naga society that have generally cared for the women and girl child, Naga women today have successful achievements in the field of literacy, better health care and sex ratio, and entrepreneur development amongst the women. But the bottom line is that, as in anywhere in the world, women specific problems in Nagaland too will gradually disappear only if the economic independence of our women is ensured.
I for one is all for reservation for women. But empowerment of women is not just going to happen because they are given reservation. The Naga gender equity question can be realistically met only if the vast majority of our needy women who are still engaged in agriculture and the allied sectors are empowered. Their capacity needs to be build upon. They need to be given the maximum of micro-credit facilities. They need to be trained in making the best use of the micro-credit facilities. They need to be trained in the higher level of technical expertise. If push comes to shove, the government must even invent markets for their produce and services. Linking Self-Help Group movement with micro-credit facility will also greatly help in empowering women. Central Government programmes like Dhan Yojana can lead to financial inclusion especially of the women folk. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana is a Cash Deposit scheme for the girl child. All these, if implemented in letter and spirit, will bring about the good and empowerment of women.
The constitution of India not only guarantees equality to women but also empowers the state to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favor of women for neutralizing the cumulative socio-economic, education and political disadvantages faced by them. Article 14 guarantees to all Indian women equality before law. Article 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds of sex. Article 15(3) enables affirmative discrimination in favor of women. Article 16 provides for equal opportunity in case of employment. Article 39(d) guarantees equal means of livelihood and equal pay for equal work. Article 14 for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief. Article 46 promotes with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people. Article 51(A)(e), the fundamental duty to renounce practices of derogatory to dignity of women. All these are constitutional safeguards for empowering women.
The state of Nagaland took a major step forward to empowering women when “The Nagaland Municipal Act First Amendment Bill” with the inclusion of women reservation, which became an Act, was passed in the Legislative Assembly. It is a legal matter in that the elections to the town councils and municipalities has not been held seen then. However, this also is a time for the people of Nagaland and, all the more, for the women as the main stake holders, to pause and ponder. As in a democracy, objections to women reservation can range from the valid to the outright silly, down to the ridiculous. But there can also be a kernel of truth in some of them. Every society is unique on its own. And the brand of our unique uniqueness have many a times proven to be a bane in itself. Haste in implementation can also prove to be a detriment to the cause in the longer run. As it is, women reservation too is not going to be for forever. Those women members getting elected or uncontested in town councils and municipalities will surely fall under the microscope. Their actions and inactions will have the very real potential of robbing off the legitimate cry for ultimate women empowerment in Nagaland. One is never going anti-reservation for women here. I am whole heartedly for women empowerment through reservation, which is one of the best ways to bring forth positive change in our society. It is only in the concern that the lacklusterness of those fought for should not diminish the luster of those who have been in the forefront all this time for gender equity and women empowerment. For it is a given that there will be no second take, like in a movie set. As such, the government’s projection of its sensitivity on the issue by offering a negotiating space should also not be altogether discounted.
Here, it is also pertinent to express the feeling that for real empowerment of Naga women to become all the more true, maybe there has to be a change in the mindset of the Naga people. This change in the mindset can be brought about if more and more Naga women starts fighting not just for feminist values or women rights, but of the people beyond gender. Maybe we can even start having more female Presidents and Gen. Secys. in local student union bodies instead of only women coordinators.
Aruna Roy is a good example and a role model. There could and would not have been an RTI movement that culminated in a law in 2005 if Aruna Roy had not begun a mass campaign in a village called Devdungri in Rajasthan in the early 90s. Aruna Roy is also the force behind the “National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.”
