DIMAPUR, March 9 - Chairperson of Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) Dr Temsula Ao has called upon the younger generation to engage their energy and share their ideas in addressing the issue with regard to the subordinate status of Naga women.
Advocating the United Nation call in achieving gender equality around the world, she said though there have been certain concessions given to women in our patriarchal society, much needed to be done by the educated classes.
Dr Temsula said this while speaking at a seminar on gender sensitisation among the youths organised by NSCW in collaboration with Patkai Christian College at Bundrock Hall here on International Women�s Day yesterday.
She said the issue has become a �notional priority� on account of the continued domination by men in all aspects.
However, to bring the women at par with the male counterpart, Dr Temsula said NSCW has been travelling far and wide within the State encouraging women to speak out demanding their rightful status and respect in the society.
She said gender sensitisation should be viewed as universal human issue since mutual respect between the genders was the cornerstone in creating congenial atmosphere where one gender recognises the �uniqueness� of the other. �Such level of parity and peaceful co-existence cannot be brought by either legislation or any number of statutes in the law books,� Dr Temsula said adding that attitudinal change towards women could be achieved only through a process of sensitisation beginning from home.
She further called upon all concerned to extend support and cooperation in formulating a model code of conduct based on mutual acceptance respecting each other�s right.
Speaking as special guest on the occasion, former Chief Secretary Banuo Z Jamir said in an attempt at empowering and removing the shackles of century of wrong notions of women being the weaker sex, women should not also prove their points of equality by simply imitating men and trying to behave and act like them. �It is not that man or the woman is better than the other � it is just that men and women respond differently due to their make-up,� she said. Banuo said it was unfair to put the burden of the inequalities on the argument that men kept women under suppression and therefore did not allow them to develop.
�We as women are aware today of the inequalities because of knowledge and exposure and ability to compare,� Banuo said adding that it was necessary to consider the impact of the same knowledge and exposure on the part of men also. The environment in Nagaland today, she said, was ready and right for women to take up the challenge of directly participating in policy making, for the promotion of development in the State and society.
