Konyak Naga womenfolk in traditional attire during the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Konyak Nyupuk Sheko Khong (KNSK), the apex women organisation of the Konyak at Mon, Nagaland on Saturday, 27 August 2011. (Photo by Soreishim Mahong)
Mon | August 28 : Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner, Banuo Z Jamir maintained that what the Naga women are enjoying today is the fruits of other women who have struggled for the past hundreds of years and maintained that if the Naga women cannot exercise their rights today than it is their own fault.
Banuo Z Jamir, who was the Guest of Honour at the Cultural Programme of the KNSK Silver Jubilee celebration at Mon Local Ground on August 27, dwelled on the role of women in the society. She maintained that the topic of gender discrimination in the society is not particular to the Naga society, but a global phenomenon, because women of other countries have also struggled for hundreds of years and have achieved a lot with regards to women’s rights like the right to vote and right to education.
She also pointed out that in the past, the society was always in turmoil and therefore the roles of men and women were divided clearly – men had to go to war and the women had to take care of the fields and the homes. However, in these modern times, the wars have subsided and the roles of men and women have undergone a change and that women have also “entered” into the roles which earlier was classified as those belonging to men exclusively and had also proved to be quite capable in discharging their duties.
Pointing out that women are proving to be quite capable in the Naga society Banuo Z Jamir and said that out of eleven districts, four districts are headed by women Deputy Commissioners and two districts have female SPs. She maintained that such growth of women in the society is all because of education and development in the society and that these are changes which no one can change.
Nonetheless, the Addl CS and Commissioner also expressed some concerns with the Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Khong (KNSK) especially with regards literacy and sex ratio. She pointed out that Mon districts still have the lowest literacy rate among the eleven districts of Nagaland and therefore urged the KNSK to implement the central flagship programme called Shaksha Bharat which aims for adult education in the state, since the programme targets the women in the society.
Besides, Banuo Jamir also expressed her concern about the sex ratio in the Mon district which stands at 898 women for 1000 men. Saying that the best sex ratio is 1000 women for 1000 women, Banuo Jamir said that the sex ratio of Nagaland stands at 931:1000; however she expressed much concern about the sex ratio of infants 0-6 years since it has fallen 973 females in 2001 Census 900 in 2011 census. In this regard, she urged the KNSK to undertake a study to find out whether the female infant mortality is higher or whether the medical healthcare with regard to female child (or mother and female child healthcare) is being neglected.
Folk songs and folkdances were presented by twelve Units of the KNSK and was witnessed by around a thousand people, with Additional CS and Development Commissioner Alemtemshi Jamir (husband of Banuo Z Jamir) and other top government officials.
The Silver Jubilee celebration of the KNSK concluded on Sunday, August 28, 2011. A new team of office bearers will take charge of the KNSK whose names will be declared tomorrow.
Banuo Z Jamir, who was the Guest of Honour at the Cultural Programme of the KNSK Silver Jubilee celebration at Mon Local Ground on August 27, dwelled on the role of women in the society. She maintained that the topic of gender discrimination in the society is not particular to the Naga society, but a global phenomenon, because women of other countries have also struggled for hundreds of years and have achieved a lot with regards to women’s rights like the right to vote and right to education.
She also pointed out that in the past, the society was always in turmoil and therefore the roles of men and women were divided clearly – men had to go to war and the women had to take care of the fields and the homes. However, in these modern times, the wars have subsided and the roles of men and women have undergone a change and that women have also “entered” into the roles which earlier was classified as those belonging to men exclusively and had also proved to be quite capable in discharging their duties.
Pointing out that women are proving to be quite capable in the Naga society Banuo Z Jamir and said that out of eleven districts, four districts are headed by women Deputy Commissioners and two districts have female SPs. She maintained that such growth of women in the society is all because of education and development in the society and that these are changes which no one can change.
Nonetheless, the Addl CS and Commissioner also expressed some concerns with the Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Khong (KNSK) especially with regards literacy and sex ratio. She pointed out that Mon districts still have the lowest literacy rate among the eleven districts of Nagaland and therefore urged the KNSK to implement the central flagship programme called Shaksha Bharat which aims for adult education in the state, since the programme targets the women in the society.
Besides, Banuo Jamir also expressed her concern about the sex ratio in the Mon district which stands at 898 women for 1000 men. Saying that the best sex ratio is 1000 women for 1000 women, Banuo Jamir said that the sex ratio of Nagaland stands at 931:1000; however she expressed much concern about the sex ratio of infants 0-6 years since it has fallen 973 females in 2001 Census 900 in 2011 census. In this regard, she urged the KNSK to undertake a study to find out whether the female infant mortality is higher or whether the medical healthcare with regard to female child (or mother and female child healthcare) is being neglected.
Folk songs and folkdances were presented by twelve Units of the KNSK and was witnessed by around a thousand people, with Additional CS and Development Commissioner Alemtemshi Jamir (husband of Banuo Z Jamir) and other top government officials.
The Silver Jubilee celebration of the KNSK concluded on Sunday, August 28, 2011. A new team of office bearers will take charge of the KNSK whose names will be declared tomorrow.
Konyak women resolve to fully support Women Reservation Bill
Mon, August 28 (MExN): The Silver Jubilee celebration of the Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Khong – apex women organisation of the Konyak community – concluded today with a new set of office bearers taking charge of the KNSK after a colourful conclusion of the three day celebration. The new team of office bearers will be headed by Lomei Konyak as the president and others and there is a resolve to support women empowerment, especially the Women Reservation Bill in the state.
Speaking with media persons after the silver Jubilee Celebration, the newly elected president Lomei Konyak listed out the priorities for the KNSK to pursue during the three year tenure of the new members. Lomei said that the KNSK will focus on women empowerment and women rights and works towards the empowerment of Konyak women in the society. Saying that the KNSK will try to create mass awareness with regards to women’s rights, Lomei said that the KNSK will focus on educating the Konyak women for self employment. Saying that the literacy rate among the Konyak women is very weak, the KNSK will try to lift the literacy rate of the Konyak women will be given top priority in the list of agenda of the KNSK.
Elaborating about women empowerment, Lomei said that KNSK is a part of the Joint Action committee (JAC) spearheaded by the Naga Mother’s Association fighting for the 33 percent reservation of women in the Municipal and town councils in the state. She asserted that the KNSK has been a staunch and strong supporter of the women reservation bill and will remain a part of the JAC fighting for the women reservation in the Municipal and Town Councils.
The KNSK also passed a resolution in this at today’s meeting. The KNSK resolved that it will strongly support the women reservation bill. However, it also resolved that the Bill whenever it is reserved, the KNSK would go for ‘selection’ of the women representatives.
Besides, she also disclosed that the KNSK will continue to fight against social evils in the society. Social evils like alcoholism, opium trade and addiction and other drug addiction will be fought against like before. The newly elected vice president of the KNSK Phangnon Konyak supplemented by saying that the KNSK will also fight against crimes against women like rape, molestation and domestic violence in the society.
Interestingly, the new team office bearers of the KNSK have new faces who are mostly young and educated Konyak ladies. The newly elected president is also learnt to be less than 45 years of age and her colleagues are learnt to be younger than her. With the KNSK marking twenty five years milestone, all eyes are on the new team of office bearers and leaders to take the KNSK to the future.
Speaking with media persons after the silver Jubilee Celebration, the newly elected president Lomei Konyak listed out the priorities for the KNSK to pursue during the three year tenure of the new members. Lomei said that the KNSK will focus on women empowerment and women rights and works towards the empowerment of Konyak women in the society. Saying that the KNSK will try to create mass awareness with regards to women’s rights, Lomei said that the KNSK will focus on educating the Konyak women for self employment. Saying that the literacy rate among the Konyak women is very weak, the KNSK will try to lift the literacy rate of the Konyak women will be given top priority in the list of agenda of the KNSK.
Elaborating about women empowerment, Lomei said that KNSK is a part of the Joint Action committee (JAC) spearheaded by the Naga Mother’s Association fighting for the 33 percent reservation of women in the Municipal and town councils in the state. She asserted that the KNSK has been a staunch and strong supporter of the women reservation bill and will remain a part of the JAC fighting for the women reservation in the Municipal and Town Councils.
The KNSK also passed a resolution in this at today’s meeting. The KNSK resolved that it will strongly support the women reservation bill. However, it also resolved that the Bill whenever it is reserved, the KNSK would go for ‘selection’ of the women representatives.
Besides, she also disclosed that the KNSK will continue to fight against social evils in the society. Social evils like alcoholism, opium trade and addiction and other drug addiction will be fought against like before. The newly elected vice president of the KNSK Phangnon Konyak supplemented by saying that the KNSK will also fight against crimes against women like rape, molestation and domestic violence in the society.
Interestingly, the new team office bearers of the KNSK have new faces who are mostly young and educated Konyak ladies. The newly elected president is also learnt to be less than 45 years of age and her colleagues are learnt to be younger than her. With the KNSK marking twenty five years milestone, all eyes are on the new team of office bearers and leaders to take the KNSK to the future.
