DIMAPUR — Representatives from eight Northeast State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM) under DAY-NRLM, Ministry of Rural Development, are participating in a three-day workshop on gender and social inclusion, which got underway on Tuesday at Rhododendron Resort in Phesama, Kohima. The workshop is being hosted by the Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM).
Speaking as special guest at the inaugural session, Neposo Theluo, commissioner and secretary of Rural Development, government of Nagaland, stated that a noteworthy feature of DAY-NRLM is the gender mainstreaming initiatives where all the programmatic activities and strategies are working towards ensuring equity and a gender-just society. He also remarked on the inclusive approach where the marginalised and most vulnerable sections of society are being mobilised to enable them grow together as a community with a sense of belongingness in an otherwise segregating culture, stated an update from NSRLM.
Theluo said the northeast states are generally close-knit where people come together to help the weaker sections in times of need. He added that there are aspects of the societal set-up where behavioural change is not easy when a community becomes comfortable with the way of living but that change is needed for growth.
He expressed hope that the workshop would be a meeting of experiences and model practices where the best fit for each state would be framed and also include the vulnerable community in decision-making process so that they might get access to rightful entitlements thereby fulfilling their dreams and aspirations.
Delivering an introductory note, Imtimenla, NSRLM mission director, stated that there were challenges in implementation of the noble mission. She, however, stated that with support from the ministry and parent department, the state mission could overcome those challenges to build a strong institution.
The mission director added that India being such a diverse country and the northeast with its own unique diversities, it would be a good opportunity for cross learning about other people’s cultures and traditions and practices to strengthen bonds and pave the way for symbiotic relations among the SRLM states and union territories in social development initiatives.
Giving an overview of the workshop, Binota Laitongbam, state mission manager of Manipur SRLM, said social inclusion is being taken up as a special project to include the most vulnerable sections of society through various processes such as the participatory identification of poor. She said protocols need to be contextualised and capacity building modules need to be developed accordingly.
She stated that the state missions are expected to develop evidence-based good practices for cross learning. She further added that under gender, key focus would be strengthening of institutional mechanisms and integration.
The inaugural session was chaired by Khriezovonuo Lhoungu, NSRLM programme manager-SISD, while an invocation prayer was said by Rokovilie Zashümo, pastor of Phesama Baptist Church and felicitation of guests was led by Kenivole Richa, NSRLM programme manager-SISD.
Report stated that the three-day workshop would be facilitated by Kalamani Arumugam, national resource person from DAY-NRLM. Representatives from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura are attending the workshop. gender and social inclusion
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