Mahila Jan Sunwai (Public Hearing for Women) was held on 11th March 2026, at the DC’s Conference Hall in Chumoukedima. The programme was organised by the Nagaland State Commission for Women in collaboration with the District Administration, District Hub for Empowerment of Women (DHEW), and the Department of Social Welfare, Nagaland.
The Mahila Jan Sunwai initiative seeks to strengthen grassroots access to justice by bringing grievance redressal mechanisms closer to the public, particularly women from rural and remote areas. The district-level hearing formed part of the state-wide outreach initiative conducted from March 9 to 13 under the guidance of the National Commission for Women. The initiative aims to provide women with a direct and accessible platform to voice their grievances and seek institutional support. It aimed to address issues related to women’s rights, safety, and welfare while providing an opportunity for participants to raise concerns and seek assistance from concerned authorities.
Kekhrienuo Meyase, Member, NSCW chaired the program, where she said that women must understand the legal provisions meant for their protection, stating that legal awareness is crucial for women to safeguard their rights and seek justice.
Meyase also expressed concern over the growing cases of cybercrime and cyber bullying, particularly on social media platforms, where women often face unsolicited comments, body shaming and online harassment.
She highlighted different forms of harassment faced by women such as domestic violence, verbal harassment, workplace harassment, cyber bullying and economic neglect. She stressed the importance of awareness on the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, which provides legal protection to women facing abuse at home.
She also called for stronger awareness on the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act), which aims to protect women from sexual harassment in workplaces and educational institutions.
Meyase further emphasised the need to educate men about women’s rights and the legal consequences of violence and harassment, noting that many people, especially at the grassroots level, remain unaware that such actions are punishable under the law.
She urged the public to report incidents of harassment and violence and called for greater awareness of legal rights to ensure the safety, dignity and justice of women.
The participants were also given the opportunity to present their grievances and interact directly with officials, legal experts, and law enforcement representatives. Complaints related to domestic violence, workplace harassment, abandonment, trafficking, and other forms of gender-based injustice were addressed, with officials assuring necessary legal guidance and follow-up mechanisms, during the Interaction and Jan Sunwai.
The programme was chaired by Ikali Wokhami, District Mission Coordinator of DHEW, Chumoukedima and a vote of thanks was delivered by Vera Sapu, Gender Specialist, DHEW, Chumoukedima. Other speakers at the programme were Renthunglo Kikon, Centre Administrator of SAKHI – One Stop Centre; Sonile Seb, Retainer Lawyer of the District Legal Services Authority; and S.I. Tajungsangla, 2nd Officer-in-Charge of the Women Police Station, Dimapur.
            
(Limatoshi, IA, Chumoukedima)