Dimapur, Oct. 30 (EMN): Gender mainstreaming as a key component under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) is taking off in a major way with Nagaland being one among four states to pilot the process through the Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission. In this regard, an orientation workshop on ‘gender operational strategy roll-out’ was held at Hotel Vivor, Kohima on Oct. 25.
Resource persons for the programme were Usha Rani, lead, IB/CB, HR & Gender, NMMU, NRLM; Seema Bhaskaran, mission manager, Gender, NRLM; Asha Ramesh, national resource person on Gender, Nagaland in-charge; Surekha Reddy, mission manager, NIRD&PR, NRLM cell, Hyderabad.
Delivering keynote address during the workshop, Additional Mission Director NRLM Azenuo Pienyü noted that gender as a cross-cutting factor in uplifting women especially in rural areas is a key to the mission’s endeavours and therefore should be taken up with concerted efforts right from policy makers to grassroots workers. She also underscored the need to implement gender mainstreaming in all areas so as to ensure inclusive and target-oriented interventions to mitigate challenges pertaining to women.
M Rollan Lotha, COO (Programs) NSRLM presented the status of NRLM program implementation, with focus on gender integration as cross cutting activity under various thematics of the state mission.
Speaking on operational strategy on gender under NRLM, Usha Rani stressed on the need to bring women in decision-making processes and policy changes. She said a first step towards this direction is to include the most vulnerable sections so as to give a sense of identity, solidarity and assurance of access to entitlements. She added that gender policies ought to co-exist with plans and programs of the government at various levels and in the context of NRLM, gender mainstreaming has to begin with the staff at all mission management units.
During interaction session, resource persons also apprised the trainees on the importance of integrating gender in all programmatic components and engaging key stakeholders in the implementation process. A series of sensitization of key stakeholders and training of cutting edge staff and community cadres would be conducted during the following months for rolling out of gender mainstreaming.
The Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India also visited Mokokchung and Jakhama and had a meeting with women organisations.
In Mokokchung, a meeting was held with the Watsü Mungdang, the apex women organization of Ao, where a number of pertinent issues on status of women in Nagaland were discussed.
In Jakhama a meeting was held with the Japfüphiki Thenuko Block Level Federation Committee members where issues on status of women as well as role of federations on gender were discussed.
The purpose of the field visits was to understand better the status and areas of interventions required in rural areas of Nagaland so as to come up with operational strategies and manuals accordingly.
