DIPR
DIMAPUR, JUNE 4
The department of Women Resource Development accorded a warm welcome to its new parliamentary secretary, N Thomas Lotha at the Directorate of Women Resource Development on June 4.
Speaking in the program, Thomas Lotha said that 50% of the state’s population comprises women and they could play significant roles in shaping the Naga society. He emphasized the need for empowerment and participation of women in all fields, to bring positive changes to Nagaland.
The parliamentary secretary also stressed on the importance of fundamental rights and duties enshrined in the constitution which give not only equality to women but also empowered the states to uplift the status of women. He highlighted the importance of 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments passed in 1993, wherein reservation of seats for women in the Panchayat and municipal bodies was provided.
The government of India has come forward and documented its policies, plans, programs and mechanisms based on the international conferences on women such as the Mexico plan action 1975, Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995, he said. All of them asserted women’s empowerment as “Fundamental for the achievement of equality, development and peace,” he stated.
He explained: The objectives of the national policy on women was to create a positive environment through positive economic and social policies, human rights, equal access to participation and decision of women in social, political, equal access to health care, equal remuneration, social security etc, strengthening legal systems and elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and the girl child.
“Reaching out to every woman in all nook and corner of the state, must be the agenda. And to make every woman an asset for our state as well as for our nation should be the slogan of the department,” Lotha stated. He also assured to exert his best efforts, and urged the staff and officers to contribute too. After the function he examined the various activities being undertaken by the department.
Secretary of the department Ramongo Lotha also spoke during the program. Director of the department Neilavou Kiditsu welcomed the new parliamentary secretary of the department. She said it was a red letter day’ in her welcome address said that the day was a ‘red letter day’ for the department as the nomenclature of the department has been changed to ‘Women Resource Development.’
Additional Director T Haralu briefed the department’s new chief on the ongoing activities of the department.
