The Manipur State Commission for Women (MSCW) on Monday organised a one-day awareness programme on “Crime Against Women: Redressal Mechanism” at Mayanglangjing Taning Community Hall in Imphal West district.
Chairperson of MSCW, Thumlip Tiningpham Monsang, said the programme aimed to sensitise women on their rights and encourage them to stand up against injustice. She stated that women’s rights are fundamental rights and every woman is entitled to live with dignity and security.
She noted that although several laws have been enacted to protect and empower women, lack of awareness continues to hinder their effective use. Referring to cases handled by the Commission since its establishment in 2006, she said many women were unaware of available legal provisions. The Commission, she added, regularly conducts such awareness programmes to bridge this gap.
Member Secretary of MSCW and Additional Director (IPR), W. Phajatombi Devi, expressed appreciation to the four Village Level Federations (VLFs) of Mayanglangjing—Leibaklei, Sangai, Mangal and Pandam—for initiating and sponsoring the programme. She said such initiatives play a vital role in educating communities about crimes against women and available redressal mechanisms.
Highlighting the role of MSCW, she stated that the Commission functions under the broader framework of the National Commission for Women and has remained active in addressing women’s issues in the state. She added that the Commission has been recognised for its proactive functioning and adherence to national guidelines.
She further stated that well-organised initiatives undertaken by Self Help Groups (SHGs) would be acknowledged by the Commission, and that SHGs would be encouraged to participate in key events such as Foundation Day celebrations and International Women’s Day observances.
Nongmaithem Prabeena Devi, District Mission Manager of Haorangsabal CD Block, observed that incidents of domestic violence are often ignored at the initial stage, leading to their normalisation over time. She stressed the need to address such issues at the earliest and urged women not to remain silent, but to seek legal support and assert their rights.
A technical session on the theme was presented by Thiyam Rajkishore, Advocate, who elaborated on legal remedies available to victims of crimes against women.
The programme was attended by Sk. Sophia, Member of MSCW, along with members of Self Help Groups and Village Level Federations.