Sensitise people about women's rights: NCW to APSCW

They have been asked to launch an extensive awareness campaign in Arunachal

National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Mamta Sharma has urged Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW) to reach out to the grassroots to sensitise the people about issues relating to women's rights and their privileges by launching an extensive awareness campaigns in collaboration with local NGOs.

Addressing a meeting on "Status of customary laws on marriage, divorce and inheritance and customary system of dispensing justice in crimes against women," here yesterday, Sharma advocated for equal status and equal opportunities for women in the male-dominated tribal state, official sources said today.

The talks on "empowerment and social upliftment of women would become relevant when women are actually treated as equal to men in all spheres of life," she said.

"In order to have a comprehensive idea of the tribal customary practices, it is necessary to be documented. Customary practices which encourage or work towards improvement of status of women in the society should be supported," she added.

Stating that Arunachal Pradesh has a large number of tribes and sub-tribes with their own customary laws, based on their customs and traditions, Sharma said traditional laws and institutions played a key role in conflict resolution and administration of justice.

Entitlement of rights of women in inheritance of property was very important, she said and called for statutory protection for women in terms of distribution of property/assets of the spouses, when a matrimonial bond was beyond repair.