IMPHAL, April 28: A day long round table discussion was held on issues related to women in conflict zones at Imphal Hotel today hosted by Human Rights Alert. Recent findings of a three-year comparative study on Governance in South Asia Conflict Zones (India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) from a gender perspective was presented by the researcher Dr. Seema Kazi.
Prof. Nameirakpam Pramodini, Director, Centre for Women`™s Studies Manipur University, Sadokpam Ranjeeta, Researcher, Human Rights Alert and two Kashmiri researchers, Arshi Janaid and Suhail Ahmed were the panelists.
In India the ethnographic research covered Manipur and Kashmir to document and highlight women`™s struggle. Using evidence-based empirical research, the study identifies women`™s gender concerns in conflict zones and impediments faced by women in terms of institutional access, response and redress at the local level, said Seema Kazi.
The study documents women`™s local activism in the region and highlights women`™s mobilization for institutional accountability in conflict zones. It flags issues related to women`™s justice and security concerns, and seeks to forge a network of women working towards widening the debate on governance and security practice in the South Asian Region.
Several local women activist and academicians discussed concerns regarding denying access to entitlements and social misogyny. The plight of increasing conflict widows, their vulnerability and social taboos around their remarriage was deliberated in-dept. Many opined that domestic violence victims are trapped in unhappy marriage since we continue to socially discourage remarriage of widows/single women.
`Healing Manipur`™ a co-production documentary of Human Rights Alert and Asia Human Rights Commission, about the stories of fake encounter widows and their struggle to overcome trauma and discrimination was also screen and discussed.