Maintaining that for generations man has treated woman like a ‘second grade human being’, Meghalaya Governor RS Mooshahary on Monday said mere enactment of statues or introducing amendments to the Constitution cannot elevate the status of woman.
“Women has been oppressed and suppressed for generations. Man has always been woman as a second grade human being. This cannot change suddenly. Concerted efforts are needed to change this,” Mooshahary told a function in Shillong.
He said a lot of statutes have been enacted and amendments brought about in the Constitution, but law cannot be a “remedy”.
“Secion 498 (B) of IPC was enacted to stop harrassment by husbands and in-laws. But has that helped stop the menace? ” he questioned.
Lamenting that despite being a matrilineal society, the status of women in Meghalaya was not satisfactory, the Governor questioned as to why woman in the state has been barred from participating in Dorbar Shnongs(village councils), grass-root level organisations.