By Felix Anthony
Guwahati, March 23, 2023: A two-day summit of delegates from 15 dioceses of northeastern India stressed the important roles women play in society.
“It is time that we stressed the equal importance of women in society, family and in the Church,” said Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati, the president of North East India Regional Bishops’ Council, said at the opening of the March 18-19 summit at the Jubilee Memorial Hall, Guwahati.
The women empowerment summit was organized by the Regional Women Commission of Northeast India.
“In Indian society including the Church, women play a secondary role. They are subjugated by father, husband, in-laws in the families and their bosses at the workplace,” the archbishop told some 450 delegates from the dioceses.
Women empowerment, he explained, “basically means treating men and women equally and giving equal freedom to women to develop her. Such gatherings are an impetus for women to assert their position in the family and to teach the society that women have their rights and they are able to carry out their responsibilities well.”
Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Panipitchai of Miao, the commission chairman, said women empowerment means to increase and improve women’s social, economic, political and legal strength. “Empowering women will ensure that her entire family receives better healthcare, nutrition, access to education, employment, economic justice and sustainability. The Northeast Region with all its uniqueness should lead and be the harbinger of the change that our country and the world is need of,” he added.
The event included input sessions, animation and panel discussion on topics pertinent to women and daily challenges and discrimination they face in the society.
Ruth Chihanphi Luiram, Anti Human Trafficking program coordinator of Caritas India, said northeastern India has almost become synonymous to human trafficking. “Innocent girls and women, due to lack of education, are lured with job-offer promises and are sold as cattle and many once they leave home cannot return. Education is key to empowerment of women and it is the fuel that makes our wheels move to create an empowered society,” she said.
Sister Lidwin Fernandes, national secretary for the Women Commission of Conference of Catholic Bishops in India, who spoke on the achievement of women today and Franciscan Clarist Sister Archana, Women Commission coordinator of Imphal Archdiocese, spoke on the role of women in the Church.
P J Lukose of the Assam Don Bosco University, Guwahati, spoke on building sustainability for enhancing women empowerment. Franciscan Clarist Sister Navya , national secretary for the Women Council of Catholic Bishops Conference of India, spoke on caring for the earth for a sustainable planet and Sister Margret if the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians, explained ways to achieve gender equality in Northeast India.
“This is the second biggest women gathering I am attending after the one we had in Shillong in 2013,” said Diolis Marwein from Nongstoin diocese.
Taw Mary Bogam from Itanagar diocese said she found the sessions “truly motivating and empowering.”
Lucy Vanlalhruaii from Aizawl diocese said the sessions were relevant to the challenges that women face in society and the “summit has given us some understanding of what it means to be empowered women.”
Hemlata Choudhury from Guwahati archdiocese was overwhelmed to see women from different cultures and dialects coming together under one platform to share their concerns and seek solution.
Priscilla Vung from Imphal diocese wants more such program at different dioceses to learn from each other.
Well articulated, well written. Well explained.