The 13th NLA election speaks volume about women determinations to enter into political arena and thus it has far reaching consequences for all the women in Nagaland encouraging morally and physically and eagerly wanting to convey the message that they are not less than anybody else and desperately determined to change our society if they were given mandate by the voters. But unfortunately, none of them could succeed this time. This election we had 5 women candidates eyed for the coveted seats of 60 chairs and next time we can expect up to at least 10 to 20 women candidates jumping in the fray. Some women candidates fought closely just losing by a narrow margin. Had they been engaged little earlier or work harder in campaigning door to door, surely they could have succeeded it. Indeed, if any of the women candidates won this time than their names could be written in the anal of NLA history as the first woman member of Nagaland Legislative Assembly. Making history is nothing but women participation is vital need of the hour because women reignite the feeling of prosperity with truth and always yearn for changes in the society.
In order to get elected for women to the Assembly, our male dominated naga society must first of all reshape and revamp our attitudes towards women. We must dethrone the superiority feelings inside our mind by thinking that; women cannot perform, women are inferior or women cannot do it. Of course women have every right to come out from the seclusion and compete with the male counterparts (excluding reservation for woman policy) by coming out victorious but when it comes to political adventure women are greatly denied and represents them as a weaker section of the people and for which reason it vividly infringe the rights of gender equality and shows the image of gender discrimination. Women have been greatly contributing in nation building starting from the institution of family to even governmental affairs by heading various agencies and important undertakings. Without women participation our society cannot be progressed. Today women can make the final decision on different policies and programmes as a highest authority decision making body of their own in the presence of male member. Each and every move by women seems to be very effective in terms of quality of work and execution. So, why naga women cannot represent as an MLA from our respective constituencies? How many years can take for the women to secure a place in NLA to fulfil their long cherished dream? I think it’s time for everyone to change our mindset from a male dominated society to have more leniencies towards women and vote for women empowerment (voting them to be a leader to lead us) without bias and prejudice.
In our naga context Women empowerment is wrongly misinterpreted on many occasions as being overshadowed or overpowered by the women in all the men’s related works and thinks that men are sidelining below. This attitude is totally wrong and a misconception of a time that needs to be checked. Many advanced nation in the world regards women as equal gender and therefore they don’t have division of labour between men and women. They do everything together as a team for a family and a nation building and hence, they are called an advanced nation. To be an advance tribe or a nation collective work is important for existence of our life. But sadly, today our naga society has division of labour between men and women. We have the habits of saying; let the men earn for living and the women engage in household chores. But dear fellow citizens, women are not only meant to be in the kitchen but they are also meant to be in the top decision making body of our state too. We verbally accept the birth of a girl child as a God’s gifted child but practically from our heart we denounced it probably in order to save the lineage generations or to save the prestige from the society from being insulted by the male dominated family members. Men are determined to be always superior to women and this could be the possible reason for our society in not marching ahead. Therefore, we must let the door open freely for the women to enter into political venture by voting them to power to witness something new.
To all the respected women, next time it can be you to create history. Never lose hope and always have the vision of prosperous Nagaland and starts nurturing from the grassroots to higher level of administration in order to mend our naga society that is greatly longing for a change through your unceasing and tireless efforts.
Yarangchang Imchen
