Nagaland to join nationwide campaign against gender-based discrimination on Nov. 25.

Dimapur, Nov. 20 (EMN): In a run-up to the launch of a nationwide campaign against gender-based discrimination, Nagaland State Rural Livelihood Mission (NSRLM) organised a state-level consultative meeting of stakeholders on gender campaign on November 17 at the Secretariat conference hall in Kohima.

A press release from NSRLM informed that 16 line departments and civil society organisations (CSO) attended the meeting, which was held under the chairmanship of Neposo Theluo, secretary to the government of Nagaland. 

It mentioned that the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, would launch a nationwide campaign against gender-based discrimination on November 25. It added that the four-week campaign under the aegis of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), would involve various ministries, civil society organisations, NGOs and gender-centric agencies.

It informed that the campaign launch event would coincide with the inauguration of 75 Gender Resource Centres (GRC) from 12 states including Nagaland. The campaign would be an annual event with each year focused on specific themes. This year’s theme was on elimination of gender-based violence, report stated.

In his opening remarks, the chairperson stated that the nationwide campaign of the MoRD through DAY-NRLM is a convergent campaign to address gender-based discrimination with stakeholder departments, agencies, civil societies and NGOs participating in various activities through a collective effort to address issues of gender discrimination, violence and other gender-based issues.

Delivering the keynote address, Imtimenla, NSRLM mission director, informed that during the gender campaign, the Gender Resource Centre (GRC) for Nagaland would be inaugurated in Jakhama Rural Development block by the block level federation of SHG. She also stated that the campaign would focus on four pillars to achieve the ultimate objective of advancing the agency and rights of women and gender-diverse individuals by addressing structural barriers for dignified living with no fear and discrimination and violence based on their gender and intersectional identities. The four pillars are (i) Acknowledge (ii) Speak up (iii) Seek support and (iv) Show solidarity.

She also informed that the community-led campaign would involve partners in working towards acknowledging, identifying and addressing issues of violence. She added that, over the years, the campaign would incorporate an intersectional approach to deepen the understanding of gender and further generated ownership in all departments and verticals with a multi-sectoral approach.

Orientation on the Gender Resource Centre (GRC) was shared by Sreeram SV, national resource person of DAY-NRLM, where he explained that the centre would function like a referral. According to him, victims or aggrieved persons could seek redressal through support of departments and agencies working on those issues.

He has sought support from the line departments and CSOs to make the centre a place where the issues of aggrieved and victims of gender-based violence or other forms of discrimination are addressed and also serve as a hub for awareness generation on schemes available for women and vulnerable alike.

Khriezovonuo Lhoungu, NSRLM state programme manager-SISD, shared a PPT highlighting expected support and roles of stakeholder departments and organizations. She mentioned that the gender campaign should be everyone’s campaign and added that the mission would require support from the stakeholders to conduct its activities.

The campaign pledge for men and women shared by the MoRD was administered to the participants followed with interactions and discussions on the campaign and clarification of doubts.

Nodal representatives from departments and organisations such as Rural Development, Social Welfare, Health and Family Welfare, State Commission for Persons with Disabilities, State Hub for Women Empowerment, Women Helpline, School Education, Urban Development, Women Resources, Tribal Affairs, Home, Planning, State Legal Services Authority, State Commission for Women, Naga Mothers’ Association, Eastern Naga Women’s Organisation, NSRLM and DDUGKY attended the consultative meeting.

Report further stated that the campaign would be held at the state, districts, blocks and community-levels on the theme focused on gender-based issues and women empowerment.