By Dr. Syed Ahmed, for TwoCircles.net,
Imphal: UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Rashida Manjoo will be visiting Imphal on April 28, 2013. This was announced on April 20 by Convenor of the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN (CSCHR), Dr. L. Debabrata Roy at a press-conference held at Manipur Press Club at Imphal.
Rashida Manjoo will be on an official mission to India from April 22 to May 1, 2013. During her stay she will be visiting many states in the country to asses the different manifestations of violence against women. On April 28 she will have a consultation meeting with civil society leaders, NGOs working against violence on women and families of victims at Imphal.
The UN Rapporteur accepted the invitation of CSCHR to visit Manipur and the North-Eastern States during her official mission to India. Civil society organizations working on the issue of violence against women and girls in the North Eastern states are also preparing for a regional consultation meeting on April 28 here at Imphal.
Addressing the media-persons, Roy said the existing armed conflict and prolonged imposition of AFSPA have been contributing to the alarming cases of crimes against women in Manipur. Manjoo will examine the issues of violence against women in Manipur. She is well aware of the situation of Manipur. We have received the officially information that she will be holding meetings with civil society organizations and activists working on the issues of violence against women in the State, Roy added.
Roy also said in the course of her visit to India the UN Rapporteur will also be going to Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, among other States. In these States she will discuss the various crimes against women with Government officials and representatives of civil societies.
Roy further said Manjoo will asses the different manifestations of violence against women. She will examine domestic violence, including sufferings and discriminations inflicted by customs and traditions, instances of rapes and sexual harassments, violence carried out by the State, or institutional violence, and violence to trans-nationals, like immigrant women, political refugee and refugee, etc. She will also analyze criminal or civil provisions that are being applied to cases of violence against women, and see whether they are appropriate or sufficient. Priority issues to address, proposal for recommendations related to violence against women in the public and private spheres, and any recent cases of violence against women and girls will also be compiled and studied by the UN Rapporteur, Roy added.
Roy also appealed to the people of Manipur to give her a warm welcome. CSCHR is preparing to give her a warm reception and will also submit a memorandum to her addressing the various sensitive issues of Manipur, he added.
Expressing his views on the visit of the UN Rapporteur, the Executive Director of Human Rights Alert (HRA), Babaloo Loitongbam said so far the government has been putting restrictions on the visit of several UN representatives to Manipur. This time Manjoo’s visit is going to be official and a historic occasion. UN Rapporteurs had visited India twice; however they were denied entry in Manipur, Loitongbam added.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women was instituted by the UN Commission of Human Rights on March 4, 1994. The Rapporteur addresses violence against women broadly, focusing on both its causes and consequences.