Origin of the Northeast India Women Initiative for Peace

For more than a century women and women’s organisations and movements have mobilised in support of social empowerment, economic justice, democracy, human rights and conflict prevention. It started as early as April 28, 1915 for the first time in history when nearly 1,200 women called “International Congress for Women” from warring and neutral countries came together to protest the conflict at The Hague in Holland.

In India’s Northeast, women have always played a major role in many peace and social movements. Concepts of solidarity amongst women’s groups, are very strong in the region. This is often illustrated in the existence of self-help groups, traditional cooperative systems, women’s markets and other forms of cooperative village action. Women’s contribution in the economic sphere is great and women have some amount of economic autonomy.

Our work on Northeast India Women Initiative for Peace aims to draw a blue print for women in Northeast India to strategise at the end of the project an Action Plan of rebuilding peace, provide justice and political rights in a society already ruptured by years of conflict. It will look at all the plans drawn up at the local, national and international level to end violence against women and see in what way women in Northeast can use the knowledge and empower themselves.

Please join us in our unique effort for peace in India's Northeast Region.