Hraveine David
The United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March during International Women’s Year 1975. International Women’s Day first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe. Since those early years, International Women’s Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The growing international women’s movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women’s conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women’s rights and participation in the political and economic arenas. Increasingly, International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.
Worldwide the International Women Day 2016 will be observed on the theme “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality” asking governments to make national commitments to address the challenges that are holding women and girls back from reaching their full potential. Launching on the occasion of International Women's Day 2015 the United Nations Women (UN women) initiative ‘Step It Up’ will showcase specific commitments that governments make, leading up to the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. Passing new laws or strengthening existing ones is one way to Step It Up. Other actions might include creating programmes to eradicate violence against women and girls, encouraging women's participation in decision-making, investing in national action plans or policies for gender equality, creating public education campaigns to promote gender equality, and many more.
Women in Naga society have acclaimed better status than it was decades back. Education being one visible area of progress made, where women are also given the opportunity to strive and excel equally with men. Today similar struggles continue at different levels and capacities where women themselves have begun to lead initiatives towards change. In Phek District women’s consistent determination and leadership in asserting an equal society has led to achievement of parity in wages and women’s inclusion in decision making bodies in some villages. Women’s role and efforts in preserving and safeguarding our rich tradition and culture in food, attires and values is also an achievement worth noting. Progress such as this was possible because of men’s equal support and women stepping up to face challenges and accepting change. Though so much progress has been made in certain areas, yet women in Nagaland continue to struggle for recognition and inclusion in social, economic and political life. The society needs to relook at such gaps and bring in measures to enable women’s equal participation in decision making at both local and state levels, removing wage disparity between men and women and ending Violence Against Women in Nagaland State. In addressing these challenges, communities’ acknowledgement of such gaps, men’s continuous support in encouraging women, leaders’ strong vision for an equal society and women’s determination are all essential in the process. It is also crucial for the State to relook the present situation and work towards implementation of laws and measures which promote gender equality in the society.
Considering the need of bringing different stakeholders together, such as the government, civil societies & organizations, communities, leaders, men and women to a common platform, North East Network is observing the International Women’s Day 2016 with all these stakeholders and women from villages of Phek district to celebrate women’s achievements as well as define areas of challenge and struggles and collectively building on agendas towards equality in the society.
