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Nagaland Govt urged to amend customary laws

By Correspondent

DIMAPUR, Aug 6 � Stating that lack of economic power and dependency is one of the biggest triggers of violence against women, the Nagaland State Women Commission today asked the State Government to amend discriminatory customary laws in regard to inheritance, maintenance, property and land rights in order to maintain gender equality.

These were among the recommendations brought out following the seminar on �Atrocities against Women� held on July 23 in Kohima. The list was released today by the State Women Commission.

The recommendations further stated that the State Government must amend the Village and Area Council Act to ensure women representation in decision making in villages with 33 per cent reservation in village councils for gender parity. The Central Government has approved 50 per cent reservation in panchayats in India and the village councils will have to reserve 50 per cent where it is implemented, it stated.

It also asked the government to appoint women Dobashis and Gaon Buras, as both the offices are under the State Government and it is the prerogative of the government to appoint and recognise such appointments and selections.

In this regard, it sought to point out that while Arunachal Pradesh got Statehood years after Nagaland, they have already appointed women as Dobashis and Gaon Buras.

The State Government has also been asked to take cognisance of the UNSC�s adoption of resolution 1325 in 2000 which calls upon all parties to armed conflict to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender- based violence, particulary rape and other forms of sexual abuse and other forms of violence in situations of armed conflict.

Other recommendations include setting up of juvenile homes, special homes and short stay homes for rape victims in all the district headquarters and even in far-flung sub-divisions. It pointed out that there is presently only one juvenile home in Nagaland at Pherima which must also be investigated into as there are numerous complaints on the way it is being run besides allegations of physical violence on the children by the authorities.

It called for 24-hour Child/Women Helplines in all police stations and a separate crime investigation department while pointing out that there is only one Crime Branch in the State where investigation officers get assigned to other duties as well which causes much delay in proper and prompt investigation into serious crimes committed aginst women.

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