GUNANAGAR, 27 Aug: The Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW) organised a legal awareness programme themed ‘Know your rights and fight for your rights’ here on Friday, in collaboration with the Namsai district administration and NGO AMYAA.
Addressing the participants, APSCW Chairperson Kenjum Pakam said she was elated to learn about the tireless services rendered by the Mahila Welfare Society Chongkham (MWSC) in eradicating the drug menace from the society, and assured to take steps to assign a psychiatrist for the rehabilitation centre.
“We have demanded for early constitution of internal complaints committee and renewal and review of the existing committees as per Visakha Guidelines to protect women from sexual harassment in workplace,” she said, adding, however, that “the provisions of protective laws for women should not be misused, and an individual is liable to face legal consequences in case false complaints are filed.”
She urged the participants to reach out to the APSCW “if they come across any injustice meted out to women,” and discouraged passing racist and sexist comments on social media.
The chairperson also requested the parents to monitor their children’s activities, and informed that “the APSCW has given its consent to increase the legal age of marriage of a girl from 18 years to 21 years.”
Chongkham EAC Rani Perme said, “Despite a common perception that tribal women enjoy equal status with men, there exists inequality in some sections of the society.”
She lauded the MWSC “for successfully sustaining a drug de-addiction centre without any major funding from government.”
Advocate Bulia Pulu spoke on various issues related to women’s rights and other legal rights and provisions to protect women. “For a society to move forward, men and women should enjoy equal status,” she said.
Advocate Kuku Miyu spoke on ‘Polygamy and its impact’, while MWSC adviser Nang Frica Namchoom spoke about how the women are voluntarily running the de-addiction camp.
