One day panel discussion on "The importance and role of women in decision making forums, peace and development in Manipur and Northeast India" was held at Hotel Classic here today.
The event was organised jointly by India (CAFI), Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network (MWGSN) and North East India Initiative for Peace (NEIWIP) .
Giving the keynote address, Reena Mutum, State Coordinator of MWGSN stated that the participation of womenfolk in decision making forums is the need of the hour.
"Women from all age groups have been suffering in different ways in the society", she added.
Manipur has recorded as the second highest rate state in domestic violence against women and the state witnesses around 300 widows per year.
Assam in North East India has been recorded as one of the States with highest mortality rates with 407/100,000 live births as per UNICEF survey.
In the entire North Eastern states, a total of 13,308 incidents of crimes against women have been reported according to the National Crime Record Bureau, 2011 with 11503 cases in Assam, 269 cases in Meghalaya, 1358 cases in Tripura, 167 cases in Mizoram, 247 cases in Manipur, 38 cases in Nagaland, 171 cases in Arunachal Pradesh and 55 cases in Sikkim.
Moreover, the number of women participation in formal peace process remains very low.
Even when women participate or include in formal peace negotiations, their role is limited to a formal presence without having the capacity or mandate to contribute to setting or shaping the agenda of such negotiations.
Male negotiations may simply be unwilling to consider gender issues and women's concern due to custom and traditions as well as stereotypes that limit or narrowly define the role of women in public life and decision making, she added.
