Capacity Building for WING Promoters on Women Peace and Security

Capacity Building for WING Promoters on Women Peace and Security was organised on 6th and 7th September 2014 and Ms Mary Beth had an Introduction of the day’s program. She lead the group to defines what is Peace and Security for oneself. Discussing that we usually don’t analyse our own security, Participants shared that their husbands, sons and daughters were their security and their understanding of security listed here as under:

Understanding of Security
 Livelihood security – Self sufficient and independent , Regular income (financial), Respectable work and activities for women
 Property rights – Having land patta and regular income.
 Peace is security ( We have security if we have peace)
 Children Education is our Security.
 Livestock
 Husbands, Sons and Daughters having good and respectable job is security.
 Having good relationship and harmony with God, with their husband and children in the family.
 Free mobility
 Good, reliable and dependable partner / husband
 Guardianship
 Free from vulnerable to Rape, sexual abuse, molestation, eve teasing etc
 Access to good quality health service
 Self dependent (economically)
 Equal treatment in the family and society is our security
 Courage and trustworthy
 Self esteem
 Collective efforts of women is our security
 Spirit and flesh need to go along for our security.
Discussion points
1. Do we have peace and security at home?
2. Do we have peace and security in the village, society, Community leaders?
Based on the above questions the group discussion points are listed here:
 Yes, We have peace and security at home (if there is no peace and security in the family, no use of living)
 In a family where Husband and sons use alcohol there is no peace and security at home
 Worth less of living if we don’t have peace
 Having God (born again)
 If we have good integrity but no peace in the home there can’t be security in the family. If we have arms in the society there is no peace but if we have these at home it is really worse.( we have arms and drugs everywhere in our location-golden triangle- who to blame ??? which really effects our daily living) Do state and non state actors brings peace for women ?? What do we really means peace of mind??) Problem in the society effect family.
Where there are peace keeping mission there are more sexual assault….all these arms group are for peace and security. Do they really mean it?
 In seeking out for security (for the family, individual) we are involving in different kinds of works which endangered our peace and security.
 We don’t have security in the society and even at home at daylight ( example- We locked the gate even at home
 How do we define security as we all are from different background, society etc…
 Security differs for different person/ different trends – contextual based. it depends on a person’s property, livelihood, ability.
 Mobility of women is problematic in our family and society.
 Recognized and unrecognized role of women in peace making process was shared and discussed – example Women at the local level interfere and negotiated on the spot by risking her life but no one recognized her role when bring the issue into negotiation table.

EXPERIENCE SHARING:
 Gang Fight in the village- Got up at mid-night and run outside, stood in the middle of violence, talked with them and control the groups from a bigger violence.
 Helping Dalit innocent working women at workplace (first experience of exposing outside facing mental……)
 1968 Sikpuiruoi experience – Young Girl who was physically assault tends to lead to violence was stop by one women alone which was really a difficult task to carry out in practical – so women needs to be very courageous.
 Carrying small weapons (knife, small cutters, nail cutters etc) during long journey – especially while travelling by train, city buses and other public transport systems.
 Experience of travelling by train, buses etc – So what do we do to save ourselves in such situation- do we need martial arts training for women?
 Experience of helping traffic women in Bangalore- ( She met them helpless at train station, talking to them, provide food and shelter , Identifying persons involving in the case and help the victims to get reached to their parents )— Soungpijang villagers in the year 2010 —-Need to be careful in sending our sons and daughters to metro cities and other places for job opportunity)
 To go extra miles in helping out others which involve high risk.
 Give training on martial arts to girl child for their protection.
Identified Issue in the discussion:
 Mobility
 Economic security
 No peace of mind in the society, community
 Vulnerability of women to rape, sexual assault, molestation, eve teasing at different places. situation
 Trafficking issue
 Portrait of Tribal women in Manipur
– No land ownership,
– No child custody
– No role in decision making? (Custom blinded)
– Parents, in-laws, brothers, sisters. (Joint family)
– Domestic household work
– Can divorce ( easy process)
– Mobility?
– Spiritual/ religious.
– Literate
– Livestock / farming
– Active in social
– Politically manipulated
– Women are use as tool
– No women in political
– Neglect health of women
– Poverty.
WOMEN STRENGTH
– Spiritual / Religious
– Social
– Livestock / Farming
– Literate
Group work on “Identifying Issues effecting Women’s security”
Group I
 No land and property
 Easy Divorce
 Heavy Domestic work
 Spiritual/ Religion
 No role in Decision making
 No Child custody
 No Right to equality
Group II
 Decision making – Voice, health, Church
 Financial Dependence
 Property Ownership
 Domestic work
 Blame
Group III
 Patriarchy family system, women are suppressed-
1. Socially (active in society yet no voice)
2. Financially ( not secure even if you are employed)
3. Politically
 Right to Equality, constitution and fundamental right yet not implemented practically
 Not independent need to be self reliant (dependent)
 Suppressed, over burden
 No free will
 Hence, no Security
Group IV
 Women discrimination
 Low self esteem
 Over dependence on men ( Economic factor)
 Environmental factors like Drug , Non state actors, robbers etc
 Priority to boy child
 No Space for development in the Church and Society

DAY II
Recap of Day I
o Self introduction
o Subject introduction ( what is peace and security issues of Women)
o Experience sharing on women peace and security
o Picture : as a tribal women in Churachandpur, Manipur ( ask for more clarity)
o Do you feel secure at Home,Society ?
o Identifying key issues effecting Women’s security
Briefing of Picture of tribal women in Manipur : which was depicted in the day I session ( based on the participant’s contribution) was to give a clear view of Women being a Women- What do we do, What is our practice, domestic work, our involvement in the decision making, our freedom of movement, our rights –child custody, land and property rights etc.
Discussion points
– After briefing and discussion on the picture the group felt that no matter how able, energetic, strong we are. We don’t have security BEING A WOMEN.
• Do we come within reach of family court on Violence Against Women related issues? How many times?
• When any type of Violence Against Women cases are settled according to customary laws. What benefit does the victim receive out of it?
• Low self esteem of women – Women esteem themselves very low and did not speak freely in the family, society decision making process.
• Leadership is a question for women being a women due to low self esteem – (leadership: education is not everything, experience matter. When there is opportunity, lets grasp it)
• Representing others does not put in the real picture. So one needs to speak for himself- Women should not be talked about but let them speak for themselves.
• Courage: not only speaking, listening is also courage.
Group work on “Identifying indicators (Quantity, Quality and process/trend)
Group IV (AWCA)
1.a. Cultural heritage
b. Teasing/mocking ( Eve teasing and mocking in the society )
c. Difference in daily wages (
2.a.Ignorance
b.Unskilled/Untrained

3 .a. Men sole earner
b. Lack of courage
4. a.Having many wives
b.Forceful recruitment
c.No peaceful mind
5.a.Education
b.Decision making
Supplements:
– Wages, Skilled (mostly traditional skill loss market which really effects women economic empowerment).
– Subject choices in academic session play important role in the process of bringing women security.
– Domestic work done by women is not counted
– Women having proper financial income seem to have bigger space in the family, society
Group 3
1. No free will
2. Workplace
3. We do not belongs any clan
4. Discrimination start in the Womb
5. Job opportunity
Supplements:
1) Good children-father said my children, bad child – father (family) said to mother your children
2) Different treatment in wages- More work but less pay
3) Women loss their clan name / identity after married
4) Infanticide
5) No job opportunity for women – example Male recruit for women promoter
6) Job opportunity- Besides lack of job opportunity for women e.g. Job card, work done by women by directly and indirectly control by male partner. No of women having bank account is very minimal
Group 2
1. Decision making
2. Financial dependent – self employed and unemployed
3. Property ownership
4. Domestic works
5. Blame
Supplements:
1. No place for women in the church, local, society
2. No freedom to use earns money without prior consultation of male partners even in health issue. Women daily wage usually submitted to husband
3. No land patta
4. Put blame when something went wrong
5. 80% of tribal women are self employed. Do we use our earning for our own interest?? Even if no one ask us to do but we do practice sacrifice attitude towards our family members.

Group 1
1. No land property-
2. Easy Divorce –
3. Domestic work
4. Spiritual/Religious
5. No role in decision making
6. No child custody –
Supplement:
1. Do we really need women to be in the decision making?? – We need to speak for ourselves and raise our need and interest. Numbers of women in the decision making platform also is required
2. Few women today owned property: but according to our custom-no chance for women to own land.
3. It may be different cases, but men take it easy in all the cases, making women helpless.
4. attitude of- Men does not own domestic workload as their responsibility
5. If a man is not interested / involved…wife/family are not encouraged to go to church and participate.
6. Mindsets of men’s work, but women needs are not recognized by man, so women need to be in decision making bodies.

FEEDBACK
1. Mix language is interesting
2. Put the learnt knowledge into practice and more workshops for the younger generation.
3. Put more efforts to raise women status.
4. Equal treatment (male and female child)
5. Acknowledging our rights, equality. Stop depending on our custom and start trusting on our equality on God.
6. Conduct Training system more widely in the coming future.
7. Benefit: Job card, women secretary. Need of Knowing our rights, opportunity are important.
8. Workshop gives fresh determination.
9. Women participation in decision making bodies and gave equal opportunity to male and female child.
10. To stop women discrimination, mother need to tell our young daughters to be courage. For more opportunity women need to take steps.
11. Stop law self esteem and start what you can do.
12. Finding solution for women insecurity.
13. Eye opener; women are discriminate. In order to improve we yourself have our own role.
14. Group discussion was worth conducting.
15. Identifying and indicating the issue was great help (for sociology student).
16. Women participation in decision making.
Group work on “Identifying Issues effecting Women’s security” and” Identifying indicators (Quantity, Quality and process/trend” ( day I and II group work)
Group no. Identifying Issues effecting Women’s security Identifying indicators (Quantity, Quality and process/trend

Group no -01 1.No land and property
2.Easy Divorce
3.Heavy Domestic work
4.Spiritual/ Religion
5.No role in Decision making
6.No Child custody
7.No Right to equality
1. No land/property was given to female
2. Attitude that wife can be change at any time
3. Practice of entrusting only women for domestic work
4. Women are always active and on the front
5. Women don’t speak on any decision making bodies
6. Women do not have the right to keep their children after divorce.
7. No equality in treatment
Supplement:
1.Do we really need women to be in the decision making?? – We need to speak for ourselves and raise our need and interest. Numbers of women in the decision making platform also is required
2.Few women today owned property: but according to our custom-no chance for women to own land.
3.It may be different cases, but men take it easy in all the cases, making women helpless.
4.attitude of- Men does not own domestic workload as their responsibility
5. If a man is not interested / involved…wife/family are not encouraged to go to church and participate.
6. Mindsets of men’s work, but women needs are not recognized by man, so women need to be in decision making bodies.

Group no -02 1.Decision making
2.Financial Dependence
3.Property Ownership
4.Domestic work
5.Blame
1.No voice in the family, society, church and health issues
2. Financially depending to our husband -whether self employed and unemployed
3.No property was given to girl child but only to boy child
4.No equal responsibility of household works to boy and girl child. But more responsibilities to girl child
5.Mother was blame when Children loss their way.
Supplements:
1.No place for women in the church, local, society
2.No freedom to use earns money without prior consultation of male partners even in health issue. Women daily wage usually submitted to husband
3.No land patta
4.Put blame when something went wrong
5.80% of tribal women are self employed. Do we use our earning for our own interest?? Even if no one ask us to do but we do practice sacrifice attitude towards our family members.

Group no -03
1.Patriarchy family system, women are suppressed-
a.Socially (active in society yet no voice)
b.Financially ( not secure even if you are employed)
c.Politically
2.Right to Equality, constitution and fundamental right yet not implemented practically
3.Not independent need to be self reliant (dependent)
4.Suppressed, over burden
5.No free will
6.Hence, no Security 1.No free will
2. Discrimination at Workplace
3.Women do not belongs any clan
4.Discrimination start in the Womb
5.Job opportunity
Supplements:
• 1.Good children-father said my children, bad child – father (family) said to mother your children
2.Different treatment in wages- More work but less pay
3.Women loss their clan name / identity after married
4. Foeticide
5.No job opportunity for women – eg Male recruit for women promoter
6.Job opportunity- Besides lack of job opportunity for women e.g. Job card, work done by women by directly and indirectly control by male partner. No of women having bank account is very minimal.

Group no -04
1.Women discrimination
2.Low self esteem
3.Over dependence on men ( Economic factor)
4. Environmental factors like Drug , Non state actors, robbers etc
5.Priority to boy child
6.No Space for development in the Church and Society
1.a. Cultural heritage
b. Teasing/mocking (Eve teasing and mocking in the society )
c. Difference in daily wages (
2. a. Economic factor b.Ignorance c.Unskilled/Untrained
3.a. Men sole earner b. Lack of courage
4.a.Having many wives b.Forceful recruitment c. No peaceful mind
5.a. Education b.Decision making
Supplements:
– Wages, Skilled (mostly traditional skill loss market which really effects women economic empowerment).
– Subject choices in academic session play important role in the process of bringing women security.
– Domestic work done by women is not counted
– Women having proper financial income seem to have bigger space in the family, society