Shillong: Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), Rekha Sharma, expressed surprise and unawareness regarding a two-year-old report on single mothers in Meghalaya.
During a media interaction in Shillong on Monday, Sharma denied knowledge of the report’s existence, despite it being available on various platforms since 2022.
In response to queries about NCW’s intervention concerning single mothers in Meghalaya, Sharma stated, “How do I know I don’t have the data… We did one research in Kerala but in Meghalaya it was long back.”
The 2022 report by the State Commission for Women on ‘Exploratory Study on the Socio-Economic Status and Problems of Single Mothers in Meghalaya’ highlighted significant challenges faced by 3,078 single mothers across seven districts in Meghalaya. It revealed that 46.2% of these women were illiterate and 28.4% had only primary education. Many of these women, whether deserted, abandoned, or widowed, bear the responsibility of supporting their families.
She emphasised a readiness to conduct further research if there were indications of single motherhood arising from coercive circumstances.
Sharma is currently in Shillong to launch an NCW initiative aimed at capacity building for tribal and forest-dwelling women, emphasized enhancing income opportunities through non-timber forest produce. She highlighted the program’s focus on empowering women in Northeast India, leveraging their knowledge of forest resources for sustainable livelihoods.
“We all know women have knowledge of the forest, whether herbal trees or anything new in the forest. To increase their capacity, we have tailor-made this two-day program. Many speakers and resource persons are working in this area. They will teach these women how to start their businesses with these produces and whether it is something herbal or ecotourism or they can work in the forest how they can be part of decision-making in the work of forest areas. This is the first program that has started in Shillong. I hope this will be helpful for women of Meghalaya,” mentioned the NCW chairperson.
Addressing concerns about rising crime against women in the state, Sharma acknowledged improved reporting due to heightened awareness among women about their rights. She noted the importance of media and police in bringing attention to such issues.
“I think the Northeast is still very safe for women if compared to the plains or north of India. The kind of cases which brutal against women are more common. But still, we need to work more and there shouldn’t be any cases against women and they should feel safe and secure in any part of India and NCW is working to assure that,” stated Sharma.
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Commenting on domestic violence, Sharma emphasised the ongoing legal awareness programs to educate women across India. She highlighted the need to combat traditional mindsets hindering women’s participation in Meghalaya’s Dorbars (traditional institutions), calling for societal collaboration against issues like drug abuse.
Delina Khongdup, NCW member, emphasized the evolving role of women in traditional institutions, noting the need for societal mindset shifts to support their inclusion.
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