Grant property and land rights for women: APSCW

ITANAGAR, July 19: Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW) in collaboration with Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society organised legal awareness at Doimukh on Friday on drug abuse, mental health, women’s right, livelihood options and sexual harassment that benefitted  class XI and XII students, GBs & women SHGs.

APSCW chairperson Radhelu Chai Techi, in her keynote address on gender and patriarchal society, said that women in the state have no property and land rights whereas women under Hindu law can enjoy such rights. It is time to consider granting property and land rights to Arunachal women, she said and advocated implementation of 33% job reservation for women in the state as a big step forward for gender parity.

Pointing out that highest cases of domestic violence followed by polygamy, family maintenance and rape were received by the APSCW, she said that GBs should not exceed their powers while deciding any case as was seen in a particular case received by APSCW wherein Ex-parte decision was passed by the GBs.

The APSCW has spoken to chief secretary to take action against such erring GBs as most women in village level do not get justice. Any customary practice which is inconsistent with the constitutional rights under article 14, 15 and 21 cannot be upheld by law, Radhelu said.

Arunachal Pradesh Legal Services Authority member-secretary Budi Habung said that customary practices and customary laws in most cases were gender biased. Women are denied ownership and inheritance, he said, adding women control production and family, but the men controls the resource and ownership of the property with selling power.

Nagaland & Mizoram have almost the same practices but recently Mizoram had passed a new legislation under which the woman can inherit some specified property, he informed.

With separation of judiciary from the executive in the state, almost all general laws are applicable as there are courts in 19 Districts with 23 judges and cases are tried in judicial courts as per civil & criminal procedure, he added.

SP Papum Pare Pranav Tayal, while interacting with participants, said that students are being targeted by drug peddlers and warned then to remain alert. The police are trying all their best to control drug supply and abuse, he said, adding drug abuse can be contained only by united and consistent effort by all in the society. He exhorted women organizations to play proactive role to contain drug abuse.

Papum Pare has a huge problem because of large scale cultivation of marijuana in Mengio and Sagalee, said SDPO Kamdam Sikom.

Speaking on livelihood opportunities RD ICE nodal officer Tamar Baki said that the GoAP has been promoting self employment to offer alternatives to such cultivation.

Speaking on mental health and well being, TRIHMS psychiatrist Dr Aroti Namchoom Ete She said that it was important to get treated for any mental health ailment as substance and alcohol abuse worsen mental health.

Former APSCW chairperson Gumri Ringu spoke on sexual harassment at work place, but there are legislations to check sexual harassment unlike in the past.  However, women continue to suffer from sexual harassment at work place despite such legislations and exhorted women to make use of existing laws.

Drug abuse has been eroding the society, APWWS president Dipti Bengia Tadar said and called for urgent steps to control the damage inflicted on Arunachalee society.

It was necessary to organize the event in Doimukh because the town has become one of the drug hubs in capital region, said APWWS secretary general Kani Nada Maling.

Related posts