Former Nagaland Chief Secretary says women empowerment is not for competing with men

May 6, 2026 4 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 6

Gender representation at all levels of governance has historically and traditionally been skewed in favour of men in the Naga society. However, according to the former Nagaland Chief Secretary, Bano Z Jamir, the state is making progress, though gradual.

“Women Empowerment was a sector which was fraught with much frustration in the early days…

And gender (rights) was also conceived to be synonymous with women presenting a rather aggressive intention to outdo men,” said Jamir. The comment was made at a programme, in Dimapur on May 5, commemorating the 25th founding anniversary of the state-based NGO, Sisterhood Network, where she was the special guest.

She added, “It is important that we, as women, should demonstrate through our work that empowering women is basically to complement and supplement, and not to compete with them (men).”

While stating that men and women are fundamentally equal, she added, “It is important that we, as women, should demonstrate through our work that empowering women is basically to complement and supplement, and not to compete with them (men).”

Today, with enlightened women, including those in Sisterhood Network, leading the way, she said that there has been a perceivable improvement in the general perception of women. Citing male-female ratio in the state bureaucracy, she said that women account for almost 39 percent in the Nagaland Civil Service, and 22 percent in the Indian Administrative Service cadre. She added that the ratio in the Nagaland Police Service and Indian Police Service stands at 15 percent and 18 percent, respectively. Nagaland first saw the election of two women (or 3 percent of the 60-member House) to the state Assembly in 2023. In education, she said that girls have been consistently outperforming boys in recent years.

According to Jamir, men cannot fully appreciate the unique nuances and needs of women, citing menstruation – a natural process historically stigmatised by society – and water management as prime examples. She noted that while issues like menstrual hygiene are crucial to women’s dignity, they are often misunderstood by men.

“The task of collecting water is universally assigned to women, but unfortunately, women are rarely consulted when plans are designed for water projects,” she said, stressing the need for inclusive decision-making. She commended the organisation for its work to address gender-based violence.

Emeritus English Professor of Oriental Theological Seminary Dr Alongla P Aier, reflected on the organisation’s inception against the backdrop of the turbulent 1990s, a period marked by internecine fighting and military operations in Nagaland. The founder of the Sisterhood Network recalled that the resulting displacement disproportionately impacted women and children. She cited this, and the Chipko Movement, and many others as factors that led to the formation of Sisterhood Network targeted at addressing the socio-economic issues facing marginalised women. “Sisterhood Network began with no budget, no master plan. Just a passion, just a zeal to step out in blind faith, and not to keep quiet, and do something about our situation,” Aier recalled. What began as a localised effort to skilling young female dropouts has since expanded to cover 19 villages across Dimapur, Chümoukedima, Niuland, and Peren districts.

Presenting the organisation’s ‘future outlook,’ Akeina Gonmei outlined plans to expand their focus on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, by integrating climate action into their community programmes. She also stressed the urgent need to secure a stable working space for the NGO.