Skip to content Skip to navigation

Raise women’s issues on the floor

Experts called upon legislators in Assam to raise issues concerning women and children on the floor of the House, acquaint themselves with the existing provisions concerning their rights and engage in advocacy of matters concerning the welfare of women and children. The suggestions were made during the fifth phase of the ongoing Sabal Bidhayak held on Tuesday at Guwahati, a series of orientation programmes initiated by the Assam Legislative Assembly in collaboration with Guwahati-based research institute, Centre for Development and Peace Studies.

Addressing the MLAs and civil society representatives, Lok Sabha MP from Guwahati Bijoya Chakraborty said, “Legislators must also make it a point to champion the rights of women in the unorganised sector and raise issues concerning the welfare of children, besides using their resources as public representatives in the fight against crimes like molestation, rape and dowry”. She said, on the whole legislators must be able to give a sense of security to women and children by fighting for their privileges both within and outside the House.

Columnist and television commentator Maini Mahanta said legislators, the police, doctors and lawyers have to be extra-sensitive on issues concerning women and child rights. “I know of a case where a woman was molested on a city road was asked by the police whether she had lost any of her belongings during the incident, thereby suggesting that it was not a major incident”, Mahanta said. She suggested that legislators have an important role to play in protecting the rights of women and children in the insurgency affected areas and called for induction of more women constables in the Assam Police. Mahanta reminded the legislators to press for a gender budget in the upcoming Budget Session of the Assam Assembly.

Jatin Hazarika, IAS (retd.), who has the distinction of working closely with six different Chief Ministers of Assam speaking on ‘Executive Legislature Relations’,  said as per laid down rules, a minister has the power to take the final decision in a matter concerning his or her department but a bureaucrat of that department is expected to provide the minister the right counsel. Hazarika said a bureaucrat is expected to be impartial but if he or she decides to be neutral, then work cannot progress as desired.

Former Assam Chief Secretary P K Datta, currently Chairman of the Fifth Assam State Finance Commission, said the fundamental principle of parliamentary democracy is the rule of law. Mr Datta said that if the legislators and bureaucrats decide to follow the rule of law, the chances of conflict between the two can be minimal.

While noted academician Mahfuza Rahman presided over the session on ‘Role of Legislators in Advancing Women and Child Rights’, well-known sociologist and Director Research of CDPS Dr ANS Ahmed presided over the session on ‘Executive Legislature Relations’.

Concluding the programme CDPS Executive Director Wasbir Hussain highlighted findings of a study conducted by the research centre on Tribal Women’s Access to Representation and Justice. The study conducted in Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland found that the primary reason of women in these three states not being part of the decision-making process is the denial of party tickets to women by political parties. He, however, pointed out that the interest level of women in Assam in politics is quite high as revealed by the study.

Sabal Bidhayak was formally inaugurated on October 2 by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance, Health and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Resource persons present during the last four orientation programmes include: Jaimini Bhagwati, IFS (retd.) Economist and Former Indian Ambassador to UK, Gautam Mukhopadhaya, IFS, Former Ambassador to Myanmar, renowned journalist Arnab Goswami, Prasenjit Bhattacharya, CEO, Great Place to Wok Institute India, Ravi Kota, IAS, Commissioner and Secretary, Finance, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, Former Chief Minister, Assam, Gautam Barua, Director, IIIT Guwahati, Prof Dilip Kumar Barua, Former Principal, Cotton College, Prasanta Rajguru, Editor, Amar Asom, Abdul Muhib Majumdar, Former Minister, Phani Bhushan Choudhury, Keshab Mahanta, Minister, Water Resources, Samudra Gupta Kashyap, Lok Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, economist Amiya Sarma, John Borgoyari, Regional Head, UNDP, N G Mahanta, Akhil Ranjan Dutta and few others.



Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

BPF will win in Kokrajhar

17 Apr 2014 - 8:31pm | Hantigiri Narzary
BTC Chief Hagrama Mohilary, who is also BPF Supremo said that BPF candidate Chandan Brahma will win the election scheduled on April 24 with huge support of voters from irrespective caste and...

KMSS demonstrated in Nagaon

13 Oct 2010 - 4:10pm | DigantaTalukdar
About 1500 activists of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) marched a rally at Nagaon on Tuesday. The activists of KMSS gathered at Nehrubali and marched a rally and demonstrated infront of the...

Modi holding 2 poll rallies in Tripura

15 Feb 2018 - 8:20am | AT News
PRASENJIT SAHA AGARTALA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on his second leg of visit to Tripura on Thursday to campaign for BJP candidate for the February 18 assembly polls. Modi, who is addressing...

Manas award for Sunil Sarkar

27 May 2014 - 9:38am | Sonali Ghosh
At the time when Manas is facing a difficult situation, there is a reason to cheer! As a special case,  Sunil Sarkar Game watcher has been awarded the prestigious Hem Chand Mahindra Wildlife...

Other Contents by Author

The regional meet of the all the North-Eastern States Legal Services Authorities under the aegis of the  National States Legal Servives Authorities was held at Shillong on September 27 and was inaugurated by Hon'ble Mr Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Judge, Supreme Court of India & Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority.The Meet  which saw the participation of the Chief Justices and Judges from the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura accompanied by the Judicial Officers of the respective states commenced with the inaugural programme by the delivery of welcome address by Hon'ble Mr Justice Sudip Ranjan Sen, Judge,...
The Committee on Racial Discrimination under Urgent Action and Early Warning Procedure dated August 15th 2008, recommended India to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (CERD/C/IND/CO/19). India was asked to submit the report latest by December 31st 2008, but the report is still awaited.  Presenting his statement on the Violation of International Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination during the 36th Regular Session of Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, Pankaj Jyoti Hazarika, Chief Functionary of NGO Prahar said, “Most of human rights violation issues in Northeast especially in Assam are caused by the inadequate measurement and negligent attitude...
Nazira boy, Tanmoy Boruah is all set to particpate in the All India Sub Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament to be held in Goa beginning October 9. Tanmoy is currently the All India Ranking 2 player. He trains with coach Alok Boruah in the Ruhiteswar Saikia Memorial Indoor Stadium in Nazira.
The present imbroglio on the Chakma-Hajong Rights issue is a reflection of monumental failure and mismanagement by the government. Civil organizations urge restoration of all rights to vulnerable Chakmas and Hajongs without further delay as 90 per cent of them are already citizens by birth and hence the restoration of Citizenship Rights is out of question. Right Cause, an organization working for the marginalized and vulnerable tribal groups is concerned with the continuing denial and deprivation of legitimate democratic rights of the Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh. The issue of citizenship in Arunachal Pradesh is a fall out of the anti-foreigner agitation in Assam and is...
APCC Vice President, Debabrata Saikia in a communiqué stated that, “It is unbecoming of a DGP to make a statement that the undergoing of arms training by the RSS is not a violation of law and is done purportedly to appease the RSS.”Such training which create tensions, animosity and hatred between communities besides encouraging divisive forces, if not construed an offence, what else would it be, he questioned.He said, “If the Chief Secretary, who is the Administrative Head of the Government, has to brief the RSS on Government development works, it is natural for the DGP to follow suit.”The communiqué went on to say that Assam Police has failed to identify and arrest the murderers of ABMSU...
Every year dynamic monsoon induced flooding coupled with flash floods cause immense loss to life and property in Assam which falls in the highest rainfall intensity zone in the country. With a total of 5531.41 hectares of crop land affected, Mayong, Laharighat and Bhuragaon Revenue Circles in Morigaon district in Assam are still enlisted under flood affected areas by the State Disaster Management Authority.  Seasonal flooding and erosion has inundated several revenue villages and have given rise to massive internal displacement in Morigaon forcing flood survivors to occupy forest lands. Human populations, school infrastructures, grazing animals and poultry are equally facing the...
A number of one hundred and thirty one teamsfrom 70 schools of North East India came together to vie for the title of North East Champions at the city-level finals of the Wild Wisdom Quiz 2017 held in the city recently. Runninginto its tenth year, the Wild Wisdom Quiz is the biggest wildlife quiz for school students in Asia and the only one of its kind in India. Organized by WWF-India the quiz was supported by Discovery Kids and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).  Some 4170 students from Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh participatedthis season,besides, one wild card entry winning team from North East according to Archita Baruah...
The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) and Karbi Anglong District committee, called on the Chief Executive Member, KAAC, Tuliram Ronghang at his official residence Wednesday in connection with the representation submitted by the Kuki civil bodies on July 7, 2017 at his office chamber in the subject matter of one government nominated KAAC seat out of four, in respect of their projected candidate for the 12th KAAC term (2017 – 2021).  The delegates reminded him in writing to actively consider their projected candidate so as to enable the representation of the unrepresented Kuki Tribes in the KAAC for peace and all-round development of the Kuki community in particular and Karbi Anglong as...
The Government of Assam Sunday declared Journalist Pension to twenty senior journalists of the state for the first time under the Assam Pension Scheme for Journalists.  The selected journalists are: Benoy Bhusan Sen (Dhubri), Rama Sankar Rai (Kamrup Metro), Prema Dhar Sarma (Kamrup Metro), Garga Ram Barman (Kamrup Metro), Naren Hazarika (Kamrup Metro), Probodh Ch. Bordoloi (Kamrup Metro), Krishna Ch. Kalita (Kamrup Metro), Ratneswar Talukdar (Barpeta), Amal Kumar Gupta (Kamrup Metro), Devendra Kumar Pandey (Lakhimpur), Ajit Kr. Patwary (Kamrup Metro), Goverdhan Prashad Atal (Jorhat), Nirupama Borah (Lakhimpur), Pramod Kumar Singh (Jorhat), Dharani Kalita (Kamrup Metro), Bhakti Ram Roy...
The Corbett Foundation, Kaziranga Chapter in association with the Kaziranga National Park authorities celebrated World Elephant Day at Bokakhat today. World Elephant Day is an international annual event dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world's elephants. The first World Elephant Day was held on August 12, 2012. Assam is home to over 5000 wild elephants. The event was organised in front of Bokakhat Natya Mandir where eminent artists of Kaziranga landscape demonstrated their skills and imagination with brush on canvases as large as 4 ft x16 ft on issues like poaching for tusks, habitat loss and deforestation. Dr. Naveen Pandey, a conservation medicine professional and...