Set up committee to help women and children in strife-torn Manipur, panel urges Ministry

Parliamentary committee recommends special panel for women and children in strife-torn Manipur to prevent sexual violence and provide assistance.

Stating that the women and children in strife-torn Manipur were facing “immense hardship”, a parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended that the Union Women and Child Development Ministry form a special panel to work on targeted policies and programmes for them.

The department-related Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports said the committee should directly monitor these women and children and take steps to safeguard them from sexual violence in relief camps.

In its report on ‘Demand for Grants 25-26’ presented in both Houses of Parliament on Friday, the committee noted that Manipur had been reeling under an extraordinary crisis for 21 months, with hundreds of lives lost, and 50,000 to 60,000 individuals internally displaced. “A significant portion of those affected are women and children, who have been rendered homeless, deprived of basic necessities, and left in extreme distress.”

The committed observed that the access to nutrition, education, and healthcare of the women in children in the strife-torn State has been severely disrupted. “These children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and elderly women are facing immense hardship, leading to grave psychological and social consequences. The absence of economic opportunities has further deepened the despair,” it said.

The committee noted that the government has taken many steps to support the victims but that more needs to be done. Hence, it recommended that the Ministry of Women and Child Development establish a dedicated special committee with a targeted and separate programme/policy/scheme for the internally displaced women and children.

This initiative should ensure direct monitoring and transparent delivery of assistance to prevent misuse and guarantee the well-being of the affected individuals. “Special provisions must be made for the education of displaced children, healthcare for lactating mothers, and employment alternatives for the affected women to rebuild their lives. Steps must be taken to safeguard women and children in relief camps from sexual violence.”

The panel further noted that the reports of the National Commission on Women (NCW) from its enquiry visits to Manipur say that women are the worst affected in a crisis, and many instances of violence against women are not being reported due to the fear of social stigma.