Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, APRIL 24
A two-day gender sensitization on ‘Violence Against Women & New Laws for Change’ for Nagaland police personnel of sub-inspector and inspector ranks got underway at the SP Conference Hall in the state capital Friday. The seminar is being organized jointly by the Nagaland Police (DEF Kohima) and North East Network (NEN) with the objective to broaden understanding of violence against women, working with the new laws for change, and the role of police in regard to sexual harassment of women at work place, Domestic Violence Act, Criminal Law Amendment Act and POCSO.
Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order), G Akheto Sema who graced the inaugural programme of the two-day seminar said that God has created all as equal beings, but it is the people who create divisions. He pointed out that Nagas proudly claim to have an egalitarian society, yet in reality there are lots of differences, one of them being the patriarchal nature of the culture and traditions.
In the present context, he remarked that many different professionals including the police personnel, tend to lose sensitivity towards others while engaged in their work continuously and monotonously everyday. The official underscored the need to develop sensibility to empathise with others, particularly the women and children. “We need to apply our minds and wisdom and act as per the situation and circumstance with a sensible approach,” he said.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SP) Kohima, Joseph Hesso, in his address, termed crime against women as a very sensitive issue and a huge challenge for the police. He said that police personnel are trained mainly to deal with criminals and not with victims (women and children) and often they are not able to do justice to the victims. He cited the example of rape cases, saying that sometimes the cases get unknowingly publicized too much that the victims are stigmatized through the media.
Hesso stated that the seminar is a much needed one as he feels there is a great need for the police personnel to be sensitized and educated on gender issues and their role in regard to handling cases related to crimes against women.
Science College Jotsoma principal, Dr. Anungla Aier, who also delivered a brief speech on the occasion, asserted that extensive gender sensitization is needed in the state and lauded the NEN for collaborating with the police department to conduct a seminar on this for the uniformed personnel. She said people consider that Naga women are more empowered than others but they do not realize that too many patriarchal values are imbibed in the cultural and social practices. She lamented that such values have become part of everyday life that they condition the psyche of the people. “Many a times we do not realize that we are the victims,” she said. She further expressed hope that the seminar will go a long way in bringing about awareness to gender sensitivity in women related cases.
The two-day seminar will have chief judicial magistrate & civil judge Sr. Division Kohima Mezivolu T Therieh, advocate Ashipri Zho and NEN programme manager Anurita P Hazarika as the resource persons. The police personnel will be trained on various topics covering Understanding Women’s Rights & Equality, role of police under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005, Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013, Criminal Law Amendments Act 2013, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2013, and Guidelines & Protocols- Medico Legal Care for Survivors/Victims of Sexual Violence.
