The Importance and Role of Women in Decision Making Forums: Peace and Development in Tripura

Date: 6 December 2014, Time: 10 am to 3 pm, Venue: Geetanjali Guest House, Agartala, Tripura

6 December 2014: Northeast India, comprising the
eight states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura is facing the onslaught of multiple armed
conflicts since the late 1940s. More than 50,000 people have lost their lives
in the violence. As a region that is home to 272 ethnic groups and over 32
insurgent groups operating with heavy militarization along with the imposition
of the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act, six decades of armed violence has had
huge humanitarian impact. The six decade long violence affected women and
children in Northeast India in varied ways. In Tripura due to the ongoing
violence and conflict, around 300 widows are made every year.

Women in Northeast India experience multifaceted
dimensions such as separation, loss of relatives, physical and economic
insecurity, an increased risk of sexual violence, wounding, detention,
deprivation and even death. In all conflicts, women suffer in ways specific to
women. However there are strong groups of women the region especially Tripura
fighting for their rights and justice but the absolute participation of women
in decision making forum and peace transformation space is very less. In the
entire Northeast Late Indira Goswami was the only Women Peace Negotiator. Hence
there is a need to strengthened community level peace and development groups
led by women and promoting active role of women in decision-making forums and
space for sustainable peace and development in the region.

The Control Arms Foundation of India (CAFI) in
collaboration with Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and the Manipur Women Gun Survivors
Network (MWGSN) with support from European Union organized a special event entitled
“The Importance and Role of Women in Decision Making Forums: Peace and Development
in Tripura”. This event was held on 6 December 2014, at Geetanjali guest house
in Tripura.

 
Women community leaders of various organisations
belonging to different indigenous ethnic communities of Tripura were present at
the event and discussed the importance and role of women in decision making
forums and space in alignment with UNSCR 1325. They expressed their views that
women’s participation in all level of government must become an “unremarkable”
feature of public life. It is especially important to recognise women’s central
role in conflict resolution. Students and distinguish media professionals were
also present at the event.

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For more information, please
contact:

Office of Manipur Women Gun Survivor Network and
Control Arms
foundation of India

Langthabal, Mantrikhong, Thong Ahanbi, Behind
Manipur University
Campus, Imphal West, Manipur-795003, India. Website:
www.womensurvivorsnetwork.org, www.neiwip.blogspot.com, Email:
Binalakshmi@gmail.com, sujata.rk3@gmail.com
,
Phone:(0) 9716305463, (0) 908941087