The Morung Express

MAY2013

A few stories and counting…

Keren r. Rose Her husband died leaving her with three small children to care for. She has no income, her husband was in Police Department and died while on duty. She has three brother in laws who approached her a few days after the funeral and this was the solution they gave her grieving heart,” Do not worry your three children will be divided amongst us three brothers, you are still young so please go ahead and find another man to marry”. I wonder if they even asked her what she wanted for herself and her children, is it right to pull apart three siblings and conveniently dispose off the mother? Couldn’t the three brother support their unfortunate brothers wife and kids till she could find a way to earn?

She was well educated infact a first science graduate from her tribe with an enviable job. After marriage, children and an extremely busy husband she decided to give up her high profile job and settle for a less taxing teaching job. Her children have all grown and done well thanks to her sacrifice. These days when they are discussing some issues and she doesn’t understand her husband tells her, “you don’t know anything that is going on in the world today, you are so outdated”.

Did he realise that he and the children are updated because she outdated herself to raise them all? she made their house into a home while she could have been a high flying officer in some big department.

She is good looking, smart and a tal-

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ented musician very active in church. Unfortunately she got pregnant out of wedlock and approached the boys family. They were powerful politicians then so as not to hurt the voting bank, they allowed her to live with them for the nine months duration. The day after she gave birth, the mother in law curtly told her, “Now that you have given birth under our roof you may leave as my son has decided that the baby is not his”.

Her husband was an alcoholic, an officer and a diabetic. Perfect recipe for disaster. Well when he eventually died, the in laws swooped in to claim all his property and forcibly took away her children as well (they were all girls I heard). How did they achieve the feat? Simple, they accused her of having a boyfriend and therefore by man-made laws that made her not fit to bring up her children or stay under the roof she once shared with her late husband. I wonder why did she fall in love with a man…she should have fallen in love with a stone or a tree or the door even.

Why did God create her with blood running in her veins and a heart that was ‘unfortunate’ enough to find love again?

Her husband is an alcoholic, a good for nothing loafer who beats her every night for burnt curries to even power failure I am told. Well the day he beat her till she peed blood, she ran home. The relatives interfered, the church kept mum. They made her go back to save the family honour. They said, “There is no smoke without fire, you must have also done something to outrage him so. Go and learn to be a good, humble, obedient wife”.

I think in other words the well-meaning relatives meant, “Since you are still alive, you owe him your services. Stay under his roof till he beats the daylights out of you and when you are finally dead we will cry over your body, we will beat our chest and be angry at your in laws for having killed our beloved sister”. Perhaps then the church will say the unfortunate husband may marry again since he needs a woman to take care of him and his children!

These are just a few stories from the recesses of my memory. Some I witnessed, some I heard but all of them are true. And yet we women bear it all, we are not supposed to have ‘humanitarian’ rights I am told. Unlucky is the women who is intelligent, independent and has an opinion, our society has creative tags for such women ranging from over smart, ‘will control husband’, morally lose (Don’t ask me I also don’t know how being intelligent is connected to morals), 33% reservation khan, defensive etc etc. Personally, I do not fight for reservation, I am not demanding equality, all I seek is justice. Justice that man-made laws sometimes ignore, justice that God gives freely and we humans withhold tightly.

How long till we walk in the shoes of women who have been battered/abused?

How long before we go the second mile with them? How long before men themselves come out openly in support of violence/injustice against women?

How long is it to sunrise? I will keep my pen down then.

for the

FORSAKEN Lea And God turned away From the dog gnawing At the broken tiny body With the curled bloody fingers That might have reached out To stop the hands that took Her life before it began.

And God turned away From the whimpers behind the door And the tiny heart asking What the voice could no longer say To stop the Unspeakable To let her be a child again.

And God turned away From the muffled screams At the blows raining on flesh And the broken heart begging To be released from the horror That had become of her life.

And God turned away For when He created Man To Love This beautiful world He gave.

To Value She whom He created too To Share with him that world How had He not seen The mark of the Devil in Man. And God turned away.

And who will Save The baby, the girl, the woman Whom He had so wonderfully made.

Change Attitude Towards Women eyingbeni Humtsoe – NieNu Violence against women (VAW), for some, starts from the womb when a girl child is voluntarily annihilated. If she is allowed to be born she is subjected to discrimination of varying kinds in varying degrees. To stop VAW, there is a need not only to enact and uphold women sensitive legislation and culture, but requires total change of attitude towards her – In conception and birth – Embrace her sexuality.

In infancy and childhood – Nurture her with equality.

In adolescence – Treat her with care.

In youth – Show respect.

In marriage – Honour her wishes.

In motherhood – Trust her wisdom.

In old age – Treasure her experience.

Through all stages – Value her.

Woman, without her, life is not only incomplete, but impossible. Harming her is harming one’s life itself.

A DAUGHTER’S LETTER neiKehienuo Mepfhű-o Dear father, ‘We’ live in a world where we are free only in dreams.

Each beautiful morning, It is yet another story of one of us- Abused and Tortured, Raped and Murdered.

My naive little sisters falling prey to inhuman bastards.

All these tragedieswritten, read, protested and forgotten.

iLLuSTrATion by seso t. meRo

Dear father, How do we thrive in a landWhere even ‘home’ is no longer safe?

Where we feel threatened by every knock on the door?

Where we pray for love but are sacrificed for lust?

Where we are denied even our most basic right to life?

Where we wonder hopelessly what have we done terribly wrong to deserve this?

Dear father, How long can we trudge along with broken bones and broken hopes?

Think for us when you know that ‘they’ are parading unabashedly in the streets with nothing to lose, after a child’s play confinementwhere we bury our head in fear.

Make a change, father, As I ‘am even scared to turn off the lights tonight.

opinion is a theme-based supplement published on the third Saturday of every month. here you are the artist, the writer, the photographer, the storyteller and the creator of your own opinion. The articles do not reflect the position of the newspaper.

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I Am My Mother’s Daughter Her children rise up and call her blessed…Proverbs 31:28 Adenno Hibo All women would like to be a mother someday. It completes her feminine self. But then someone once said, “Motherhood is like sex and birth: you can’t begin to imagine it until you do it. It’s completely overwhelming!” On some days I want to be a mother: to hold my child in my arms, cradle it to sleep and smell the sweet scent of innocence. Then there are also days when I watch in frustration(picture this) as a mother tries to soothe her whiny two year old, holding the three month old to her breast while her four year old runs mad and topples things on his way. Thank God for nannies or thank God I am single?!

It reminds me of Emerson’s words, “There never was a child so lovely…but his mother was glad to sleep.”

I don’t know what it takes to be a mother. I definitely don’t know how a mother is measured for all the things she has done for her family. What I do know is that she is worthy to be celebrated as a person. I am not a mother but I write as a daughter so I do know what makes a mother so precious in her children’s eyes.

I do know as my mother’s daughter, that the same hands that rocked my cradle will always rule my world.

My relationship with my mother started as her baby who needed guidance in every step of her way. Then as a teenager there were the rough times when we tried to understand each other. Now as a grown woman I am on the long road to discovering that she is the best friend

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LULLABY

for a confused woman, the confidante who believes in her and knows that her daughter’s dreams are unique. She is the person who is watching her child grow into a beautiful woman. Most of all she knows that her daughter will one day leave her nest to build a new family. But she will always call me her baby. She loves like I am the only child in her life and yet I know she loves all her children equally.

To her I am sometimes the most irritable child in the whole wide world but I am also the apple of her eye. If I am the insolent daughter who dares to go against her opinions, I am the person in whom she confides to ask for opinions; if I am irresponsible as the eldest daughter, I am also the child she trusts most to guide my siblings; if I am a big disappointment to her, I also bring joy to her heart. I am the great and terrible child if I may say so. I am the cause for those tears of frustration and I am the reason she has tears of joy. Take me to the lowest level of life and my mother’s love will follow me; make me the ugliest child the world has ever seen and I will still be the most beautiful child in her eyes. I quote George Eliot: “The mother’s yearning, that completest type of the life in another life which is the essence of real human love, feels the presence of the cherished child even in the debased, degraded man”.

No wonder some of the greatest hymns have been written by those very people who strayed away but came back to God because of their mother’s love and prayers.

But along the way as her children grow older, they rely less and less on her.

They have worlds of their own to build; they have dreams to chase and their whole

lives to be lived. Somehow they forget that she needs them now more than she ever did. She has time to listen to their problems and offer solutions when she has enough problems of her own. She is always there for her child. So irritate her, quarrel with her, but don’t forget to love her and pray for her. A poem I came across, said to be written by an old woman will sum up what I am trying to say: Sometimes I feel old Useless And ugly I reach and nothing comes I speak and no one cares I sing and no heart is moved But then I pray And Lord You listen.

Between the door and the floor, There is a crack; vivid, harsh and mean.

She waits for it to fill with substance…

While the night howls in the distance.

And the texture of her eyelids, Is the color of spent sienna…

But, hush, my baby, hush-a-bye, Mother’s here – so don’t you cry.

Dark lips sip at a glass of white wine, Rocking rhythmically and mocking sanity; She kisses the baby’s brow and lets go, And ponders on this strange failing of woman: Of wanting crevices filled and gaps closed, But letting their inner selves be exposed.

But, hush, my baby, hush-a-bye, Mother’s here- so don’t you cry.

The door opens and allows a beam of light; She watches all her friends pour in …

Chalky faces and voices clacking like crab claws.

Lilies drooping with home sickness; She stretches her face into a tired smile; She just has to walk that second mile.

Oh, hush, my baby, hush-a-bye, Mother’s here now- don’t you cry.

Raindrops creep down the window pane, In reptilian slithers; while the wind, it whips!

The Jacaranda tree stands ruffled and shorn!

Returning to her sweating glass for consolation, She lets the day fall slowly on her anger: Many women are the butt of life’s rancour!

But, hush, my baby, hush-a-bye, Mother’s here now – don’t you cry.

She lamely laments in lonely silence: “Daddy’s going to come by and by.”

Neglect is a habit, you need to learn young; Like me, in the downy confines of a nuptial bed, You’ll have to let yourself be held, caressed, subjugated…

Like some kind of a whore, I must trade my body, So that, at night, I won’t have to dream…

And suffer the nightmares which make me scream.

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yAnchAnbeni NguLLie Too long have we been living secluded, That light is now shunned like an enemy.

Too distant have we parted from laughter, That silence we have gratefully accepted.

Too hard is life to have Love’s company, That for emotions, Hate is our sole crafter.

How long are we to befriend Brutality, And keep surviving tearful seclusion?

Haven’t we had it enough already?

Undo these chains and be rid of Cruelty!

No more shall life be a sore conclusion.

Let Fear flee never to return ready.

Freedom...its height higher than heaps of hay, Women! Keep freedom no longer at bay!

I am glad my mother’s love and prayers will always follow me. I am glad I am the most beautiful person in her eyes than in anyone else’s eyes. I see her love even when we pique each other off. Even when we don’t speak to each other for days. I see her love every time I look into her brown eyes. Those wrinkled face and hands are proof of the unseen sacrifices she has made for me. Someday when I become a mother I think I would want to be just like her and with God’s help, even better. And like a beautiful song goes, one day it will break my heart to hear her say goodbye. In the end I raise my toast with Edwin Lutyens: Here’s to the happiest years of our lives Spent in the arms of other men’s wives, Our mothers!

“Guided Destiny” chenonLo WocH Maidens, Stripped inside-out, Distanced from pride and might; Endowed with mere burden, vain cries: Hear out.

Maidens, Trapped in men’s arms, Deprived off heart’s desires; Revived with faith ‘gainst dark-toned fate: Reach out.

Maidens, Freed from bondage, Bestowed with fulfillment Becometh real progress’ patrons: Spread out.

Stop Violence against Women: Unclip her Wings ALemrenLA JamiR

(a woman’s lament) ATong RotHRoNg

“SHAME”

Physical violence I thought was the only violence against women, but it is just one of the specks of all the violence that many women receive every day. Stepping into the post-modern era, the so called globalised world, I thought our society today had developed positive attitude towards women.

Ironically, globalization is rather a pain in the neck for women folk, especially in traditional societies. Physical violence must have reduced to a certain extend in many societies, but there is a long way for women to liberate from psychological, structural and cultural violence. The archetype kind of attitude towards women has caused violence against her at a great extent. This archetype mindset acts as a shackle that bound woman to exercise her universal rights. It also clips her wings from exploring, discovering the innovative and creative power that she possesses.

Some few weeks ago, with some young group of people, I visited Arunachal Pradesh, the land of the rising sun. The people have their own good culture but the other side of culture was bondage for women.

The archetype of women was to produce children and to work without time or situation limitation. In that area women are ex-

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pected to produce children like a factory and work like a machine. In sickness or in health it was their archetype. Women are deprived of their human hood and made to work beyond human capacity; moreover there was also a separate dinning for women. Comparing with this context, Naga society also is not much different. A close acquaintance of mine argued with me that there is no violence against women in Naga society, but it has no validity and I will not deny that there is no violence against women. In Naga society, the battle of physical violence against women has reduced, but the battle of social and cultural structure: patriarchy and hierarchy still remains the undisputed battle. Thus this psychological and archetypical violence against women can be defeated with some alteration and reformulation of culture. I do not deny the importance of culture. Our fore-parents have formulated culture many centuries ago according to the context of head hunting and land ownership. But today the context is different; the battle field is in the mind, politics, parliament, institutions and other such contemporary fields. Today in every society, culture is the most difficult subject to conquer. Women are deprived municipal representation, full- fledged property rights, land ownership etc. Moreover in politics, women are puppets stringed with 33% reservation (33% reservation is a joke). In the recently held 11th Nagaland

iLLuSTrATion by atoNg RotHRoNg

Legislative Assembly election, I was encouraged to vote for women candidate but my plan changed because I learnt that it was a policy of share vote with the other 3rdparty opponent. Sometimes, women are even insecure and robbed of her 33% reducing her to nothingness and violating the rights that she deserves .

Culture is helpful when it is healthy; culture is violent when it is oppressive. And most of the violence against women emerges out from cultural and sociological psychology and archetypical attitude that leads to all kinds of violence against women. We can keep and practice constructive cultural social, values, and moral ethics the so called sobaliba (in Ao-Naga term) yet we can eradicate some functions in culture that are no more applicable in today’s context which are rather oppressive and destructive. Such as, women are considered as fair or weaker sex, (girl-child) physically, mentally and emotionally inferior. Thus women are easily manipulated, dominated, violated and exploited.

This has assassinated and clipped the willpower and strength in women to free themselves to resist violence imposed on them. To generate the anti-biotic in women against violence, the society as a whole should work together in recognizing the strength, creativity and will-power in women. Society as a whole has to unclip her wings and give opportunity to fly to where she belongs.

voices on Violence against women is one of the most widespread human rights abuses.

Everyday thousands of women and girls are abused and murdered by their families, raped in armed conflicts and attacked for defending women’s rights.

When it comes to violence against women there is no ‘typical’ victim, the risk factor is simply being born female. There is no generation, race, culture or socio-economic group whose women and girls are immune to violence in its many forms – domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and harmful traditional practices. One of the most widespread violations of human rights – violence against women will directly impact one in three women living today.

Indeed to create a world where women and girls are all safe from violence and exploitation, we need to align human-rights defender, politicians, the business world and diplomatic community around practical creative solution. We can’t afford to wait any longer. It’s time we invest in women who are leading solutions on the ground and create a safer world for all.

Violence against women is heard every now and then. Women are murdered and rape leading to insecurity for women in our society.

Even innocent teenage girls are murdered. Violence does not always happen in the form of physical violence, but can also be psychological and verbal. It happens mostly in a relationship between husband and wife. Women mostly suffer due to domestic violence; almost 40-70 % of women are murdered by their husbands. It is really shameful for those guys who beat their wives, for whom they are in this world. And Rape is the most common crime committed by the perpetrators, which they don’t feel is their own sister. Due to this violence, the power is unequal between men and women which lead to discrimination against women by men. Thus, activities should be taken towards elimination of domestic violence against women.

In our everyday life we hear about woman being ill- treated. But we never try to change the situation. We all just sit silently. Let’s stop being silent and raise our voice towards violence against woman. In today’s generation woman can’t even go out of their home with insecure feelings that they would return back safe and sound. Isn’t that so.....??

There is no more safety and security in our society. The opposite sex (man) should stop abusing the woman and instead support them in their rally “Stop violence against woman”. It is a harsh truth that woman are being beaten up even by their own husband to whom they surrendered their whole life and everything. The cruellest situation that a woman can undergo is ‘Rape’. Man commits the worst crime by picking up the woman just to satisfy their needs.

They would torture, rape and kill the victim after they get what they want.

Come on guys, the person whom you are raping and killing is your own sister, wife and mother because of whom you are in this world. Instead of abusing them show love and respect. But we the victim (woman) hope and pray that sooner or later you (man) would realise your evil deeds and put an end to your cruel actions and create a better world for us to live in.

There is an old saying in India which goes like this, “A woman is born, lives and dies under three mennamely her father, her husband and her son.” As a daughter, her father monitors her life; as a wife, her husband dominates; and as a mother, her son takes control. While this saying might not be true in all the cases, the message is loud and clear- women have been silenced and stripped off their rights. This unfortunate status of being silent has been taken as ‘inferiority’ and to some extent the grounds on which violence against women is justified.

Violence can mean different things to different people, and generally physical violence has often been given much importance. But a closer look reveals other understandings like harassment, mental abuse, verbal abuse, forceful relationships and so on. Nagaland is considered to be a Christian state and unfortunately, people quote biblical passages to justify violence against women. But interestingly, the Bible nowhere talks about harassing women. In fact, the motif of love and equality runs from Genesis till Revelation. The woman is that masterpiece which completed the creation (Genesis 1: 31). Violence against women is happening because people are yet to realize her worth and purpose. In the words of Dr. Myles Munroe, “If you do not know how something is meant to function, you will misuse or abuse it.” It is high time that we recognize the worth of women (and being a woman) and STOP violence against women.

H. NAOMICHON

JASMINE

WINKIU RONGMEI

BETHEL ZHIMOMI

STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Stop Violence Against Women DaViD A bud smiling to bloom Spreading fragrance in gloom Is crushed, crumpled, butchered Whither O promising future?

A blossomed red young rose, Unprepared for world’s woes, Finds ghastly hands to unsettle The beauteous bountiful petal.

A fully blossomed lily Lies plucked and sullied; Act of some beastly fingers, O Gruesome memory lingers.

Bleeds to death society’s origin, When will cease cruelty to women?

Save the Women P. muju Lam Prey not, mighty man on your harmless daughters Sturdy legs, cruel hands, lusty eyes follow her everywhere Deep down She dreams and longs for peace somewhere Little giggles brighten homes: mute not oh, their laughter!

Prey not, worthy sons on your tireless mothers Dawn to dusk, rain or shine, they toil so hard She bakes and cooks to feed and keep you smart Womb to grave, gently she braves all weather.

Prey not, naughty boys on your helpless sisters Heads bowed in shame; ceaseless flow the silent tears Stop abusing, reach out, don’t wait ;end her fears Shield them; protect them from all fake glitters.

Pray hard for the lonely, blameless Women Save them forever from all evil omen.

Stop Violence Against Women AKhAyii Komou Everyone knows violence is a violent behaviour that is intended to hurt or kill somebody. Violence against women is commonly happening in many families and the society. Raping and violence against women is increasing and compounded in our country. In newspaper and television news channel, it is often seen the crime against women. The brutality and raping is often repeated and occurred in our society. And therefore, it is an important issues to stop violence against women.

Violence against women is the shameful image of the society. Since violence and discrimination against woman is prevalent in society, especially in the mainland of India; it is require to analyze for solving and controlling of violence against women. Is there any solution for this problem? What influence them to increase the violence against women? Where is to be blame?

And who is to be blame? Human being is a social animal; and therefore society is also a part of the moral responsibility. It is not only the individual and the family, but also the society can be a part of accountability. Enforcing a strict law alone will not bring a better result of solution. It has to analyze from the grassroots level of an individual, society and the environment.

As charity begins at home, probably behaviour of violence is moulded from home. Sometime a parent beating a child, using verbal bad words against the child, rebuking curse languages, ill-treating and abusing against a servant that resulted

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and influenced a wrong behaviour of a child, making fun of others, disrespect towards elders and neighbours etc. A child learns through example, and not by theory. This will influence and develop into child behaviour and character.

In a school, the role of a teacher and school administration may too influence the behaviour of a child.

Sometime the abusive language, short temper behaviour, beating, etc can lead to violence behaviour of a child.

Media, movies of abusive and violence scene, cinema, etc, will also influenced the wrong behaviour of a child. In these days, internet revolutionizes the nature of human life. Both good and bad are openly learnt from this internet. Many people watch and learn the wrong nature and behaviour from the internet.

The religion is also one of the social maintenance of human values and character. Justice, love, kindness, forgive, honesty, faith, etc, are related to the religion; but in reality we diverse from the main core of religion. When things turn into self interest, nepotism, inequality, injustice, ill-treatment, abusive, etc ; then this will lead to unsatisfactory, immoral and violence nature of human behaviour.

Sometime the role of society may also affect and influence the behaviour of violence and brutality. The society is divided in the line of castes’, tribalism, rich and poor. Everybody knows corruption and injustice is the reality practices of the society and the government. When the authority and responsible people are corrupted and indiscipline in the surrounding society, this would create the confusion and wrong behaviour of the society.

Nepotism and bribery can even lead to wrong behaviour of the citizen. Injustice may also affect the wrong behaviour of the people. This will directly or indirectly creates and compounded the immoral behaviour and violence of criminal and indiscipline people.

Violence is not an inborn character, but it is developed and influenced through the surrounding factors. And therefore, character of the environment may be required to analyze for better solution of the society.

Many people feel death sentence is a solution for those rapist criminal, but it seems to be unfair and injustice if we examine the role and background of an individual life.

Majority of the society consider woman as secondary to man. This is the common phenomenon of mindset amongst the people. Traditionally, in every community, woman was recognised as secondary identity and citizen.

The inheriting and identity is always based and considered on man. Even religion considered woman as secondary to man. This mindset can create discrimination, injustice and violence against woman.

And therefore, the moral responsibility of human behaviour, concept of mindset, equality, values of life, respect, kindness, discipline, etc may required to study, influence, aware and educate the citizen. Every individual, churches, Hoho, NGO, Village community, educational institution, any organisation, social welfare, government etc are collectively accountable for implementation and respect towards the rights of woman. Educating the moral science would bring the minimum level of violence against woman.

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Stop violence against women with special reference to women in Nagaland dr. e. renPhAmo LotHa The most common expression, “Violence against women” today is the most talked about subject in various medias, both in print and electronic medias. Unfortunately, India has emerged as the most violent country toward women despite the slogan of the country of Mahatma Gandhi, the ambassador of peace.

Women activists in the country led

by Azmi and Usha cried out on 30/04/13 in the Hindu daily, “Fight discrimination, violence together”.They pointed out, “Violence against women has the tacit approval of the society all over the world. It begins right from the time a fetus begins to breathe her first.”

In Nagaland, the Sisterhood Network while writing on “Gender justice” on 08/09/12 expressed, “Women in the state have been victims of mental, physical and sexual violence, been victims of political conflict, they also continue to be victims of domestic violence”.

The most unfortunate state of affairs is that India’s quest to become a super power nation in the world has been badly marred by her violence against women, the half of her population all over the country starting from New Delhi, the maximum rape city of India. Today, everywhere the Prime Minister goes in the world, he continues to faced the most embarrassing question, “How about violence against women in India”? He faces such embarrassing situation every now and then which is the most shameful trend of event in the country. We cannot simply talk about the matter lightly. Instead, India in general and Nagaland in particular must come forward to bell the cat and become violence free India where women of India and Nagaland may travel the world peacefully with their heads held high.

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Definition The word, “Violence against women” means any act of gender violence that result in, or likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life. Accordingly, violence against women encompasses but is not limited, to the following: • Physical , sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence , female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women , non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation; • Physical , sexual and psychological violence occurring within the community , including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced prostitution; Over and above, there could be acts of violence against women, which include forced sterilization and forced abortion, coercive

forced use of contraceptives, female infanticide and pre-natal sex selection.

It may be noted that acts of threats of violence , whether occurring within the home or in the community, instil fear and insecurity in women’s lives and are obstacles to the achievement of equality and for development and peace. The fear of violence, including harassment, is a permanent constraint on the mobility of women and limits their access to resources and basic activities.

Violence against women-situation in inDia Women in India are vulnerable section of the society. There are various forms of violence based on gender due to unequal relationship between men and women based on patriarchy. Such discrimination is owing to the following reasons; • Because a women is considered a weaker sex both in terms of physical strength and in having a say in the socio-cultural set up. They are subjected to physical violence like rape, female infanticide, and sex-related crimes. This is the reason of wrong understanding of the society regarding female sexuality and its role in social hierarchy.

• Because of her relationship vis-à-vis man, a woman is vulnerable to domestic violence, dowry murder etcetera. This reason relates to society’s concept of a woman as the property and dependent on a male protector, father, husband, son etcetera.

• Because of the social group to which she belongs, a woman, in times of war, riots or ethnic, caste or class violence, may be raped and brutalized as a means of humiliating the community to which she belongs. This also relates to male perception of female sexuality and women as the property of man. legislatiVe measures- legal rights of women Women could also become victims of forced violence or crime commonly recognized such as Murder, Robbery, and Cheating etcetera. The crimes, which are directed specially against women, are characterized as “crimes against women”. These are broadly classified under two categories as follows:

It has to be noted that not all laws are gender specific, but the provisions of various laws, which affect women significantly, have been reviewed periodically and amendments carried out to keep pace with the emerging requirement. Some acts which have special provisions to safeguard women and their interest are the following: (i) Commission of Sati(Prevention) Act , 1987 (3 of 1988); (ii) Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 (28 of 1061); (iii) Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act,1986; (iv) Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956; (v) Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 (34 of 1971); (vi) Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 (19 of 1920); (vii) Hindu Marriage act, 1955 (25 of 1955); (viii) Hindu Secessions Act, 1956 (3 of 1956); (ix) Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 (37 of 1970); (x) Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 (25 of 1976) (xi) Factories Act, 1948 (63 of 1948) as amended in 1976; (xii) Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 (53 of 1961) (xiii) Criminal law (Amendment) Act ,1983; (xiv) Special Marriage Act 1984; (xv) The Family Court Act, 1954; (xvi) Employees State Insurance Act, 1948; (xvii) Plantation Labour Act, 1951. stePs taken to curb Violence against women Law and order is a state subject under the Constitution of India. The responsibility for dealing with enforcement of the aforesaid acts therefore rests with the government. The registration of cases, investigation, detection and prevention of the crimes against women are primarily with the state government and union territory administration.

Accordingly, women cells for checking crimes against women have been set up in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar

Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh , Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and the Union Territories of Chandigarh , Delhi and Pondicherry. Unfortunately, however despite the lapse of fifty years of statehood, Nagaland government has not set up such similar women cells in the state though they claim women development and empowerment. neeD for self initiatiVe of naga women.

Considering the aforesaid facts and circumstances, it is considered urgently necessary for Naga women to press the State Government to set up women cells to control crimes against women which is increasing in alarming proportion like a wild fire! Meanwhile , it is also considered necessary for Naga women to come together under one umbrella from the state level down to the village level with the principle, “Unity is strength” backed by the so called well educated and well placed women in responsibility positions in spirit and in letter. Furthermore, women need to drive for the support of menfolk who consist of the 50% of the population if they want success of their drive toward violence free society against women. conclusion Dear Naga women, let us rise up from our narrow walls of self, village, range, tribe and stand united to fight violence against women in unity. Because the saying, “United we stand divided we fall” is quite appropriate in this context of crime against women. Let us not continue to blame men for all the crimes in the society.

Instead, let us seek their positive support for violence free society against women who are their sister, wife, and mother and not their enemies. Let us remind the menfolk the maxims, “ladies first”, better half” to the menfolk so that they will be able to let the saying become a practical action. In this way, let us maintain the complimentary role of womanhood existing peacefully side by side with menfolk. maintaining harmonious relationship as God designed in the story of creation.

1. the crime iDentifieD unDer the inDian Penal coDe (iPc) i) Rape (Section -376 IPC) ii) Kidnapping and abduction for different purposes (Sections -363-373 IPC) iii) Homicide for dowry, dowry deaths or their attempts (Sections 302/304-B of IPC); iv) Torture, both mental and physical (Section 498-A of IPC); v) Molestation (Section 354 of IPC); vi) Sexual harassment (section 509 of IPC) referred to in the past as Eve-teasing. vii) Importation of girls (upto 21 years of age) section 366-B of IPC).

2. the crimes iDentifieD unDer the sPecial laws

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FasHioN cuLtuRe aND Nagas deadline for Submission: June 09, 2013 date of Publication: June 15, 2013 The Morung Express monthly supplement ‘opinion’ will be published on the third Saturday of every month. In the Opinion, you are the storyteller. Please share your story by responding to the theme of the next issue: “stoP Violence against women” "Fashion Culture and Nagas" Contributions can be in the form of photography, illustrations, photos of artwork, essays, first-person accounts, poetry, reported articles, and any other form of expression that can be printed.

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