Monalisa Changkija was awarded Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) Excellence Award 2025 for her outstanding contribution and achievements in the field of journalism
(Speech of Monalisa Changkija at International Women's Day
celebration in Kohima. She was awarded Nagaland State Commission for Women
(NSCW) Excellence Award 2025 for her outstanding contribution and achievements
in the field of journalism)
Respected Chairperson and Members of the NSCW, dignitaries
of the Social Welfare Department, other Government Departments/agencies, NGOs
and friends gathered here on this very significant day for women. On this day,
let us not only strengthen ourselves but also re-resolve to strengthen, lift up
and uphold each other and women across the globe to claim our personhood and help
each other script irrefutable and inerasable histories. Towards this end, as
the process has also begun here in Nagaland, I would like to commend,
congratulate and thank the NSCW for leading from the front ~ albeit falteringly
at times ~ but persisting and persevering unwaveringly always.
I am
humbled to be present today in your midst ~ a galaxy of illustrious women ~ who
have moulded and continue to mould our society and State into a better place
for our daughters, granddaughters and the future generations of women. I salute
all of you here and all our illustrious sisters across Nagaland, some of who
remain unheard and unsung, nevertheless plod on, holding high the banner of
self-realisation thus paving the way for the younger generations of women to keep
alive their aspirations, achieve their full potentials and fulfill the promises
they hold within them.
If it takes a village to bring up a child, we have indeed
shouldered our responsibilities to be that village but we need to aspire,
inspire and steer it towards excellence. A woman’s work is never done but
thankfully women are always up to the occasion and our work gets lighter and
easier when we uphold each other every minute of our endeavor ~ not just on
special occasions. Women’s strength is infinite ~ you know it from your
struggles, sufferings, sacrifices, sorrows and your triumphs ~ so I really
don’t need to tell you that only we can bring each other and ourselves down.
Each day is a baptism of fire for women but we have come out better. Our job
now is to enable and empower other struggling women and those who will come
after us to do and to be much better.
One of the obstacles women have constantly faced is the
silence that is imposed upon us politically, economically, socially,
traditionally and culturally. Ours too is a society that decrees women to be
seen and to do but not speak and be heard. If we are to uphold each other and
continue being that village that brings up the younger and future generations
of women, we have to break free from the shackles of this silence. No one will
unshackle this silence for us ~ only we can and must do it. This requires
healthy self-esteem, self-confidence, self-respect, dignity and a firm belief
that we have what it takes to achieve our dreams and aspiration and fully
realise our potentials. In doing so we must ensure that we are not stepping on
each other, harming each other and preventing each other from progressing
forward. One of the fundamental requirements to break this shackle is
bolstering our constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression, very
vital to nurture and strengthen genuine and enduring democracy, especially in a
society and State like ours. Hence this award is significant as a message of
commitment to democracy and I am very proud that in this too women are
leading.
I would also like to applaud the NSCW for being the first
among governmental and non-governmental entities to acknowledge, recognise and
honour a person from the Nagaland State media fraternity at the State level ~
if memory serves me right, this is a first in the history of Nagaland and the
State media, which began with the publication of Ao Milen and the Kewhira
Dielie in 1932, as per available documentary accounts. It is indeed a proud
moment and an honour not only for me individually because as individuals, we
are simply runners in the relay race but for the entire media fraternity of
Nagaland because finally after 93 years, the existence o the media in Nagaland
is being acknowledged. Thank you from all of us in the State media. Thank you
for bestowing me with this honour ~ definitely a momentous highlight in my
40-year career in Journalism. This award signals that the State media is doing
something right, as also encourages and motivates us to evolve further and
press forward. Thank you so much. This award also underscores women upholding
women. Thank you again.
Monalisa Changkija is a columnist, journalist, poet, and
Founder-Editor of Nagaland Page.
