Guwahati — Women activists in Guwahati have urged political parties and candidates contesting the Assam assembly elections to adopt a women-centred manifesto, releasing a document on Saturday prepared by the Assam Feminist Manifesto Collective and calling for a formal commitment to a gender-focused agenda. Organisers said nearly 200 women from across the state contributed to the manifesto, which sets out key demands on rights, welfare and governance for women in Assam.
The manifesto, compiled by a platform of women’s rights advocates and civil society members, draws on the experiences of women from diverse backgrounds — including farmers, market vendors, informal workers, weavers and survivors of violence — and incorporates perspectives from women with disabilities as well as those from marginalised and indigenous communities.
Among the manifesto’s priority areas are safety and justice, with calls for stronger implementation of laws addressing violence against women, improved support systems for survivors, safer public infrastructure and faster judicial mechanisms. The document also highlights climate and environment governance as a critical concern for women’s livelihoods and security.
“The manifesto reflects the voices and experience of women from diverse backgrounds,” said Anurita Pathak Hazarika, a women’s rights activist involved in drafting the document. “The manifesto highlights several priority areas that need urgent attention,” she added, pointing to safety, justice and environmental governance as immediate priorities.
Gita Rani Bhattacharya, another women’s rights advocate, emphasised education and livelihood pathways, urging greater investment in school infrastructure, improved access to education in remote areas and formal recognition of women’s labour. “The initiative aims to place women’s issues at the centre of political discourse ahead of the upcoming elections,” she said.
Organisers said the manifesto is intended to shape party manifestos and candidate commitments, pushing gender issues higher on the election agenda and seeking concrete policy and budgetary responses to the concerns raised by women across Assam.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/womens-grp-seeks-gender-based-vows/articleshow/129229205.cms
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Publish Date: 2026-03-07 23:42:00
