Nagaland Elections: Only 4 Of 183 Candidates Are Women; State Yet To Elect Woman MLA

It’s been sixty years since statehood, and Nagaland has yet to elect a woman to its legislative assembly. Only four women are in the fray out of the 183 candidates for the upcoming elections on February 27.

The only time the northeastern state had a woman elected through public mandate was in 1977 when Rano M. Shaiza defeated former Chief Minister Hokishe Semato and became a member of the Lok Sabha.

S Phangnon Konyak, president of the BJP's women's wing, was elected to the Rajya Sabha as a consensus candidate of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) last year.

Women In Upcoming Nagaland Elections

Women in Nagaland have a high literacy rate (76.11 percent compared to 64.63 percent nationally) and a high level of workforce engagement in both the public and private sectors compared to the national average. They also have substantial influence in civil society, but that has yet to be translated into their increasing presence in electoral politics.

Nagaland is one state with a deeply internalised patriarchy, and its social practises and customary laws are protected by Article 371A of the Indian Constitution. According to experts, traditionally, Nagaland women were hardly included in decision-making bodies.

"In the olden days, women were responsible to stay at home, doing household work, and raising children while men were kept free from work so that they could protect the village. There was no thought to include women in decision-making, though men were not against the opposite gender," said Sano Vamuzo, a founding member of the influential Naga Mother’s Association and the first president of the state’s commission for women. "With changing times and better education, there is an increase in equity, and harmful gender norms are being eradicated," she added.

Emphasising the presence of women and their leadership in public offices is vital for ensuring greater sensitivity towards the needs of citizens, Vamuzo strongly advocated for women's participation in decision-making bodies, including the state legislature.

Sano Vamuzo, sister of the first Naga woman MP, Rano M. Shaiza, and wife of former chief minister Vamuzo Phesao, said that women should continue to stand and fight in elections. She added that she was praying for the victory of the four women candidates in the forthcoming elections, irrespective of their political affiliations.

The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), the ruling party, is fielding two female candidates: Salhoutuonue Kruse from Western Angami and Hekani Jakhalu from Dimapur III. The ally party, BJP, is fielding Kahulu Sema from Atoizu, and Congress has nominated Rosy Thomson from Tening. It will be empowering to watch women in upcoming Nagaland elections come out and support the candidates and inspire young girls in the state to vote.

Suggested Reading: First Woman From Nagaland S Phangnon Konyak Elected As Rajya Sabha Member