APSCW to move Govt with recommendations
ITANAGAR, Mar 10: The Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW) in collaboration with Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (APSLSA) has organized a two-day State level seminar on customary practices, property rights of women and girl child in context of Arunachal Pradesh at DK Convention Centre here on March 9 & 10. About 300 participants including GBs, police personnel, advocates, members of community based organizations (CBOs), NGOs, and students and faculty from Arunachal Law Academy, Himalayan University and Rajiv Gandhi University attended the seminar.
The Commission said that the recommendations received from the participants and the resource persons would be forwarded to the Govt for upliftment of the status of tribal women in the society. The recommendations include: ban to be imposed on polygamy practices, flexibility on transfer of land and property rights to women, gender neutrality to seek compulsory education, awareness on marriage registration and door-to-door sensitization on granting equal status to women, work out inter-tribe marriage instruments between various tribes and communities to ensure harmonious relationships, etc.
APSCW Chairperson Radhilu Chai Techi, while delivering the keynote address, emphasised on women empowerment and the role of GBs for social empowerment of women, besides highlighting the challenges faced by the women in Arunachal such as practices of polygamy, gender inequality, etc. APSLSA Member Secretary Jaweplu Chai spoke on the functioning of the Legal Services Authorities as well as Arunachal Pradesh Victim Compensation Scheme, 2011, and Lok Adalat.
During the technical session, the resource persons spoke on various topics. RGU professor Vandhana Upadhyay gave a presentation on ‘difficult transition: economic development and gender relation’ and also presented statistical data on socio-economic status of women in Arunachal Pradesh, while Doimukh Govt College principal Dr Taw Azu spoke on customary practices and marital rights in context of Arunachal Pradesh.
In afternoon session, former APSCW Chairperson Jarjum Ete stressed on strengthening the traditional institutions to empower the women of Arunachal, while Jaweplu Chai gave presentation on laws relating to women’s property rights like Hindu Succession Act, 1956, Married Women’s Property Act, 1874 and Fundamental Rights of women.
During today’s technical session, advocate Jumgam Jini highlighted the Mizo Marriage, Divorce and Inheritance of Property Act, 2014. RGU professor Dr Nabam Naka Hina gave a presentation on ‘Social perspective: Customary practices and property rights in Arunachal Pradesh’, while assistant professor Dr Radhe Amung spoke on ‘women and political status with special reference to Arunachal Pradesh’, and assistant professor of Jarbom Gamlin Govt Law College, Dr Nani Mamung on ‘Legal perspective: Customary practices and property rights of women in Arunachal Pradesh’.
Before the end of the programme, an open house discussion was held wherein many of the participants shared their life experiences and got their doubts clarified with the help of resource persons.