[ Karyir Riba ]
ROING, 26 Aug: The Enjalumenda Women’s Empowerment Forum (EWEF) here in Lower Dibang Valley district, while supporting the draft of the Arunachal Pradesh marriage and inheritance of property bill, opined that Clauses 42 and 43 should be scrapped “in the larger interest of the society.”
“This bill, if passed, will be truly historic in nature for the womenfolk of Aruna-chal Pradesh, as it will bring with it legal protection for women. We express positivity in the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW) in its tireless efforts to bring this bill to this stage, and also express our trust in the present government to see this bill into an act,” the EWEF said.
It said that “apart from Clauses 42 and 43, the proposed bill covers many other positive aspects like divorce, widow remarriage, inheritance; and if brought into legislation, there will be lesser divorces and breaking up of homes.”
“In our Idu Mishmi community, women already enjoy property rights as well as rights like keeping our maiden names. However, we cannot overlook instances of certain customary practices affecting our womenfolk in our society too. We also cannot overlook inequalities faced by women of other communities, and this bill seems to be the answer for the less fortunate women and girls,” it said.
The EWEF has written to the APSCW and the APWWS regarding the matter.
The EWEF is an NGO run by graduate Idu Mishmi women, and since the forum stands against polygamy, a second wife does not qualify to become a member.
