Editor,
Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I wish to highlight the ongoing neglect and mistreatment faced by aspiring women entrepreneurs in our state.
Despite the immense potential and capabilities that many women possess, their entrepreneurial dreams are often dismissed, ignored, or disrespected. Women over 18 who approach local authorities or elected leaders for assistance in launching businesses or entering the service sector are frequently not treated with the dignity or seriousness they deserve.
Instead of being uplifted and supported, many of them face inappropriate behaviour, discouragement, and a deep sense of inferiority is projected onto them. This is not just about individual grievances – it is a systemic issue that reflects a longstanding gender bias deeply rooted in our political and social structures.
Our Constitution guarantees equal opportunity (Article 16) and equal pay for equal work (Article 39D), yet these rights often vanish when women seek help in practice. While women vote equally during elections, they are overlooked when it comes to receiving equal support or opportunity from those in power.
The entrepreneurial sector can be a powerful tool for women’s empowerment and economic independence, but this vision is obstructed by nepotism, misuse of government schemes, lack of awareness, and a failure of political will. Despite the presence of various central and state schemes, the number of successful women entrepreneurs in Arunachal remains painfully low.
Many young women fear approaching their local MLAs or officials, as their genuine requests are often met with silence, suspicion, or, worse, biased expectations. Meanwhile, their male counterparts, often from political or social circles, are welcomed and favoured with quicker responses and more support.
Leadership is not about power – it is about responsibility. Our local MLAs, political leaders and elected representatives are meant to serve all people, including women, youth, girl children and the rural poor, not just the politically connected few. Swami Vivekananda said, “There is no chance for the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. A bird can’t fly on one wing.” Development will not come through slogans and schemes alone, but when our leaders practice respect, fairness, and equal access in real action.
The painful reality is that many Arunachali women who seek opportunities outside the state still face discrimination, racism, and a lack of support – sometimes even from their own people. Girls who wish to pursue education or attend boarding schools and colleges outside Arunachal are often mistreated and rarely defended by the very leaders who claim to stand for empowerment. If our representative leaders could facilitate those things at district or state level, then girl children and women entrepreneurs would have never faced those challenges.
This must change. We need urgent attention to:
- Create transparent support systems for women-led businesses, especially for new and emerging women entrepreneurs.
- Ensure that women are treated with dignity and fairness when they seek help genuinely.
- Provide education and entrepreneurship incentives that truly reach girl children and young women in remote areas.
- Hold elected representatives accountable for discriminatory behaviour and negligence.
- Eradicate the patriarchal mindset from society.
- Support for unemployed women, who have the talents to do something for young generations in the field of education and other areas of creativity.
If we continue to ignore the real issues faced by women entrepreneurs, we will keep suppressing half of our state’s talent and potential. For Arunachal Pradesh to grow into a just and developed state, we must ensure that women – especially entrepreneurs and girl children – are given their rightful place, free from prejudice and discrimination.
A despairing woman entrepreneur from Kurung Kumey district