TAWANG, 19 Oct: Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APCSW) Chairperson Radhilu Chai Techi said that “no woman would be empowered until she is economically independent.”
She was addressing a legal awareness programme organized here by the Tawang District Youth Welfare Society in collaboration with the APSCW on Monday to discuss issues related to women and youths.
Speaking about the recommendations made by the commission to the state government, Techi said that there should be “a special entrepreneurship package for unemployed girls, 33 percent
job reservation for women, establishment of family courts in the state, 33 percent women reservation in the state legislative assembly, and 50 percent reservation for women in panchayats.”
She said that the government should consult the APSCW while framing policies for all government departments, and expressed hope that “the government would consider the AP marriage and inheritance bill draft soon.”
Congratulating the Pema Khandu-led government for devolving powers to the panchayat bodies, she sought “the same kind of cooperation and support for the state commission for women.”
APSCW member Techi Hunmai spoke about the roles of the APSCW and the National Commission for Women.
“The state commission for women has the power of a civil court and it can summon anyone against whom there is complaint of atrocities on a woman. It can inspect and visit remand homes and jails and also send recommendations to the government,” she informed.
Local MLA Tsering Tashi described women as “the backbone of our society,” and said that “the Monpa society is an open society and there is no discrimination between a boy and a girl.”
He added that women representatives comprise 53 percent of the total panchayat members in the district.
Advocates Pema Chowang, Sangey Tsering and Sonam Zangmu and Tawang DC (in-charge) Lobsang Tsering also spoke.
The members of the commission later visited the one-stop centre, the police station and the women’s police station here. (DIPRO)
