Status of women in India’s NORTH-EAST

By- Asha Ramachandran

For the women of India’s North-East, International Women’s Day that falls on 8 March is just another date. While the world fetes women and sings paens on their empowerment to mark the day, their sisters in this ethnically and culturally diverse region of India can rightfully say they had been there and done it all.

Down the ages, women in the North-East have held a special and significant social position. Be it in economic, social, cultural or electoral processes, women here lead from the front. This status accorded to women is unique to this region, which has a multiplicity of around 400 tribes and sub-tribes.

However, many quarters feel their immense contribution to the region in such varied fields often gets little recognition.

Indeed, as compared to their counterparts in the rest of India, they can be said to be more empowered. Much less dependent on the men, the women here are often the bread earners of their families. Happily, unlike in other parts of the country, the women also control the money they earn.

The North Eastern women are generally also not subjected to several social practices prevalent in the rest of India. Dowry, female foeticide and honour killing are non-existent in the seven sister states. Women enjoy a higher level of education and have a presence in almost every professional sector. Be it sports, literature or social activism, the women here have made a mark. In fact, they have even surpassed men in several fields.

A unique matriarchal and matrilineal society exists in the region, including the Khasi, Jainitya and Garo tribes of Meghalaya. While this state is largely matrilineal, women in Manipur and Mizoram are also known to be highly empowered and enjoy a superior status in society.

One factor for this is said to be the unending internal conflicts in the North Eastern states that have led to displacement of several communities. This has in turn left the women highly vulnerable.