India’s Northeast, a region of mystic splendours and rich cultural heritage, spreads over an area of 2,62,179 sq. km and consists of eight states. The region orginally had the seven states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and were known as the “Seven Sisters of India”. Later, Sikkim also became a part of it.
Women in the Northeast have occupied a unique position and differences exist between different states.
n While at the all-India level the number of females per thousand males is 933 according to the 2001 census, in some states of the Northeast like Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya the figures are heartening. Manipur leads with a sex ratio of 978, closely followed by Meghalaya with 975 and Tripura with 950. Sikkim cuts a sorry figure with 875.
n The female literacy rate in India is 54.28 per cent. Most states of the Northeast, except Arunachal Pradesh, have a female literacy rate above the national average. Mizoram’s female literacy rate of 86.13 per cent is even higher than the combined national average as well as the national male literacy rate of 75.96 per cent.
n Northeast also boasts of matriarchal system in one of its states. All the tribes of Meghalaya follow the matriarchal law of inheritance. The tribal law lays down that custody to property and succession of family position runs through the female line. The lineage consists in passing the inheritance from the mother to the youngest daughter. In Arunachal Pradesh, women could not inherit property. However, they fought over the issue and managed to secure the right.
n In India, which has a dismal record on maternal mortality rates, 254 women die per 1,00,000 live births. The Northeastern state of Assam has the highest maternal mortality rate of 480. Insurgency that results in limited access to healthcare is attributed as one of the reasons for this.
n Domestic violence is common in Manipur. Cases of dowry deaths are not widely prevalent in the Northeast. Similarly, female foeticide is unheard of.
Women in the Northeast have occupied a unique position and differences exist between different states.
n While at the all-India level the number of females per thousand males is 933 according to the 2001 census, in some states of the Northeast like Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya the figures are heartening. Manipur leads with a sex ratio of 978, closely followed by Meghalaya with 975 and Tripura with 950. Sikkim cuts a sorry figure with 875.
n The female literacy rate in India is 54.28 per cent. Most states of the Northeast, except Arunachal Pradesh, have a female literacy rate above the national average. Mizoram’s female literacy rate of 86.13 per cent is even higher than the combined national average as well as the national male literacy rate of 75.96 per cent.
n Northeast also boasts of matriarchal system in one of its states. All the tribes of Meghalaya follow the matriarchal law of inheritance. The tribal law lays down that custody to property and succession of family position runs through the female line. The lineage consists in passing the inheritance from the mother to the youngest daughter. In Arunachal Pradesh, women could not inherit property. However, they fought over the issue and managed to secure the right.
n In India, which has a dismal record on maternal mortality rates, 254 women die per 1,00,000 live births. The Northeastern state of Assam has the highest maternal mortality rate of 480. Insurgency that results in limited access to healthcare is attributed as one of the reasons for this.
n Domestic violence is common in Manipur. Cases of dowry deaths are not widely prevalent in the Northeast. Similarly, female foeticide is unheard of.
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