Civil Society organisations unite to tackle violence against women in Assam
Civil society organisations in Assam join hands to address rising concerns of gender-violence against women in the State in the ongoing 16-day activism of Gender Based Violence (AT Photo/ Representational Image)
Guwahati, Dec. 8: As the global 16-day activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign kicks off, the Assam chapter of Aman National Network and the Alliance of Feminist Collectives have joined hands to address the rising concerns of violence against women in the State.
The international campaign, observed annually from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10 (Human Rights Day), aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women across the globe.
Assam continues to grapple with widespread gender-based violence, including domestic abuse, sexual violence, acid attacks, trafficking, witch-hunting, and tech-enabled harassment.
According to NFHS-5 data, 32 per cent of married women (aged 18-49) in the State have experienced spousal violence. Assam also recorded one of the country's lowest conviction rates-just 4.8 per cent. Activists argue that this reflects critical gaps in judicial processes and police investigations.
"Survivors often face hurdles at every step, from non-registration of cases by police to slow judicial mechanisms. In many instances, women are counselled to return to abusive homes instead of receiving the protection they deserve. This impunity emboldens perpetrators," the organizations said in a joint statement.
Aman Network, established in 2006, brings together individuals and organizations across India to support domestic violence survivors through case referrals. The Alliance of Feminist Collectives represents grassroots women's groups and NGOs in Assam working on gender justice issues.
Highlighting the need for urgent action, the organizations called on the State government to ensure that police register all GBV cases, especially domestic violence, form a state-level task force with representation from government departments and women's groups to address GBV, establish women's safety committees at the Panchayat and VCDC levels, develop multi-sectoral response frameworks involving healthcare, legal, social, and educational sectors and end impunity for perpetrators and ensure accountability to uphold women's safety and human rights.
The groups emphasized that violence against women is a human rights issue requiring immediate and systemic intervention. "Women deserve safe spaces and a life free from violence and fear. Gender-based violence must end, and women's rights must be protected," the statement read.