Vishü Rita Krocha
The year 2016 started on a grim note for us women. Just a day after New Year’s, there was a reported case of a minor girl being raped. Not long after, in February, we were greeted by yet another disheartening news of rape, committed against a minor girl, allegedly by a policeman. And we have no idea how many cases of crimes against women go unreported.For long, we have talked about violence against women, but perhaps, we talked even more about how Nagaland has fairly treated her women. I am sure it gave us all a sense of pride when the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) announced that Nagaland is the safest place for women in India. How nice that our state is being shown in a good light for a change. But having that said, only we know the real state of affairs in our state. Only we know how safe our women truly feel in the spaces of their own hometowns. Some of us are apprehensive about hiring a taxi. And it’s not even because of the high fares, but simply because you don’t feel safe enough to ride with a total stranger.
Statistics revealed on the occasion of the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women last year, indicate that cases of violence against women are on the rise. Somehow, this takes you back to the question of ‘gender equality.’ We have often heard in forums, debates and discussions that Naga women are treated at par with men, as compared to other states. Or at least that seems to be something we take pride in. But that, we also know is far from the truth. The disparity is visible everywhere. Dishearteningly, in our very homes- the very reason why a woman’s place hasn’t changed much even in the last few decades.
They say that the role of women is crucial in every aspect of development- socially, culturally, economically, politically. The contribution that women make in all these areas is undeniable. And yet, sadly, the Naga society is yet to have a woman legislator. It’s easy to say, women are welcome to contest in the elections. Everything is easier said than done. Our patriarchal roots are deeper than we want to part with. The politics of elections in the state- the corruption, the buying of votes, the promises of jobs- is another story altogether. But how genuinely does our society look into this matter? Most of our communities would stop at, “but she’s a woman!”
But only a woman would know which policies are best suited for women. Perhaps, then, ‘safety for women’ would also hold greater importance. Because looking at the world today, it seems ‘violence against women’ is only increasing, not to mention the gruesome manner in which some of them take place. Or perhaps, more education and research have brought more things to light. Either way, we cannot take for granted, the issues that concern the whole society.
March 8, as you all know, is International Women’s Day. I don’t think women expect that this particular day be observed for its namesake. But clearly, the inception of this day calls for ‘gender parity.’ The 2016 campaign theme for International Women’s Day is also “Pledge for Parity.” There’s a reason why a theme like this has been chosen and its relevance in a state like ours cannot be undermined. I also believe “equality” will solve a lot of our unresolved problems and not just issues relating to women. But let us not forget that it takes more than mere advocacy of women empowerment to achieve gender equality.
