Intertiol Woman's Day celebrated

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, March 7: Meghalaya Social Welfare Minister Deborah Marak today said that though women in the state seems to enjoy the special position of matrilineal society but in reality discrimition occurs while decision making takes place.

“Our society is very unique and women enjoy a special status here compared to other states but still a wide gap in equality persists which is reflected in crime against women and domestic violence,” Marak said during the advance celebration of Intertiol Women’s Day at Sri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture.  

The Social Welfare Minister also said that women have an inborn talent which is given by God and being more sensitive women can do multi -tasking job and can do better job than men.

She also said that as women have many problems and they have every right to approach legal advisers including the concern departments for help and not succumb to pressures.

Marak also said that in order to overcome the problem of discrimition a good education system is needed especially in rural areas.

“Despite all the hurdles there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Marak said adding that women in Meghalaya are very hard working and are appreciated everywhere.

Meanwhile  Dr Floret Dkhar said that the celebration of Intertiol Women’s Day should not only end in celebrations but most importantly is to bring about changes by working together and listing down what are the changes women want.

Dr Dkhar also pointed out the urban-rural gap in the literacy rate in the state.

“In Meghalaya, we need empowerment for women because if you look at the population in Meghalaya the average literacy rate in urban region is 90.79 percent while in the rural its 79.93 percent” Dkhar said adding that in Meghalaya women from rural area needs to be strengthen since female literacy rate in urban area is 89.24 pc while only 67.15 pc in rural area.” She also said through education we need to reduce women and girls poverty and ensure their right to access education and training and also to safeguard their health including their sexual and reproductive health and also to get equal say in the society including politics.

Inspector General of Police GHP Raju while sharing his observation during panel discussion said that during the years 1996 there was no eve-teasing in the state of Meghalaya except for few rape cases. But, nowadays crimes against women have increased and therefore, he called upon the citizens to take the initiative for finding out the causes of these crimes and solve these problems collectively.

Mee Kharkhongor, Chairperson, State Commission for Protection of Child Rights also highlighted about the provisions of Indian Pel Code in relation to Crime against Women, Domestic Violence and Maintence Act, while Dr Rica Lamare, Founder and Project Director, Manbha Foundation explained about the ture and causes of substance abuse and alcoholics.