Nagaland: 2 women legislators participate in Assembly discussion for the first time

Minister Salhoutuonuo Kruse and Advisor, Industries and Commerce, Hekani Jakhalu are the first women MLAs from Nagaland

The two first time women legislators in the 14th Nagaland legislative Assembly today made their maiden speech in the ongoing session of the Nagaland Assembly on the 33 percent women reservation in Urban Local Bodies (ULB) Elections.

Participating in the discussion, Minister for Women Development and Horticulture, Salhoutuonuo Kruse and MLA from Western Angami credited the central leaders for framing the policy of 33 per cent women reservation. She also thanked the Naga women leaders under the aegis of Naga Mother’s Association for heralding the implementation of the women reservation in the state.

Kruse, further appreciated the Naga menfolk, especially the legislators for agreeing that women should be ‘included’ in decision making for progress

Appreciating the women organisations, Advisor, Industries & Commerce, Government of Nagaland and MLA from Dimapur III, Hekani Jakhalu, described the two decades old fight as strenuous, tedious, and stressful for not only the women leaders but for the entire state and the people in general. She also thanked the civil society organisations and the tribal leaders and the government led by the Chief Minister for beautifully and patiently putting forward the issue consensually together through the consultative meeting on September 1.

Hekani said that they all came together for 33 percent reservation not just because of the Supreme Court’s order but because it is the right thing to follow.

She said, Nagas are indigenous community, but added that indigenous communities is not unique to Nagas alone. She quoted the United Nations statistics that about 476 million indigenous people world-wide are governed by the customary laws.
“Customary laws we understand is not codified, it is not a uniform law, it is something that is fluid, flexible and our forefathers throughout the years adapted to times”, Jakhalu added.

She said customary laws have changed with time and this was followed time immemorial and moved on.

Accordingly, the Advisor said that not giving right to women in the decision making body is against the universal human rights, and against equality. There are many practices and norms in the society that discriminate against women and it is justified by culture, religion and tradition, she added.

To this, she said, the United Nations guaranteed that all forms of discrimination against women should be taken as a national effort and that a state should maintain gender equality and take all appropriate measures including legislation to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices which constitutes discrimination against women.
The Advisor further questioned that if Naga women were never allowed to take part in the customary institution of decision making then, this alone is a sufficient reason to give reservation. She also said, women have been deprived of participation in the decision making body, despite women having advanced in many unrestricted fields.

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