Shillong: The inclusion of women in the Dorbar Shnong, the village council in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) in Meghalaya, is being examined by a social committee, according to KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Titosstarwell Chyne.
This comes after women’s organisations, including Ka Lympung ki Seng Kynthei, submitted a memorandum on March 29 to discuss women’s participation in decision-making within the dorbar shnong.
Chyne acknowledged that this is a sensitive issue, as Khasi custom in Meghalaya and tradition only allows men in the dorbar shnong.
Also Read: Pro-Khalistan group SFJ ‘supports’ ULFA-I’s Assam independence movement
However, he stated that the request to include women in decision-making in the shnong has come from urban and suburban areas, and not rural areas.
While there are dorbar shnongs in Meghalaya that allow women to participate in the election for the headman and the executive committee members, the law does not recognize such participation.
Also Read: Assam forest dept sitting on Centre’s letter seeking report on Kaziranga rhino census
Ka Lympung ki Seng Kynthei has been raising this issue with KHADC since 2011, according to the group’s general secretary, Tentiness Swer.
The organization is asking KHADC to frame laws that are in line with the changing times and allow women to participate in decision-making in the dorbar shnong.
The KHADC CEM stated that a social committee has been formed to study the matter and that the proposal neither has been accepted nor rejected yet.