Women Safety Awareness Campaign hits Hukphang and Pongching villages in Longleng

Dimapur, Sep. 20 (EMN): Discrimination and crime against women dominated the Women Safety Awareness Campaign event held at Longleng with Phungla Phom, women welfare officer, DLCW, as the resource person.

Organised by the District Task Force (DTF) for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) in collaboration with Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK), the event was held at Hukphang on September 19 and at Pongching village on the 20th, informed an update from DPRO, Longleng.

Phungla Phom spoke on “how ill-treatment to daughters by the parents encourages sons to dominate over their sisters in the family.” She also highlighted “crime against women such as rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment etc. and how it affects the victim, family and society at large.”

Speaking on Child Marriage Act of 2006, she pointed out how child marriage affects family life — physically, mentally and financially — due to immaturity. She urged the mothers present at the event not to let such marriage take place in their families and also raise their voice against it in their communities.

Highlighting the schemes provided by the government for the uplift of women and girl child, she asked the gathering to avail Sukanya Samriddhi Account (SSA), Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and other schemes. She also spoke about the activities of Sakhi One Stop Centre and said MSK is ready to assist those in need of help.

Earlier in the programme, Chairman Village Council Pongching lauded the MSK and its partners for organising the programme for the safety of the women and daughters in the family and society. He thanked the participants for availing time despite their busy schedule (harvest season) and asserted that “women have greater role and responsibility in the present generation.”

The chairperson of the programme, Tutinungla Phom, district coordinator DLCW, Longleng, in her welcome address highlighted the activities carried out by the MSK in collaboration with DTF BBBP and Social Welfare department for women’s welfare. She informed that the agencies have been conducting such awareness programmes block-wise for the uplift of women and is planning to cover every village under the district.

During the discussion hour, the mothers told the officials that their daughters could not avail SSA scheme due to lack of Aadhaar card. It was also reported that Aadhaar centre in Longleng district was not functioning and they had to go to Changtongya under Mokokchung district to apply for it, which poor villagers can’t afford.

The MSK distributed forms for the SSA scheme during the programme.