A parliamentary standing committee has recommended that the Union ministry of women and child development should establish a “dedicated” committee with separate programmes for the internally displaced women and children in Manipur to ensure their “well-being”.

The report of the Congress leader Digvijaya Singh-headed standing committee laid in the Parliament on March 28 noted that Manipur has been reeling under an “extraordinary crisis for 23 months, with hundreds of lives lost and fifty to sixty thousand individuals internally displaced”.

Even though the government “has taken many steps to support the victims but that more needs to be done”, the committee stated, recommending that the “ministry of women and child development establish a dedicated special committee with a targeted and separate programme/policy/scheme for these internally displaced women and children.”

The committee has stated that a “significant portion of those affected are women and children, who have been rendered homeless, deprived of basic necessities, and left in extreme distress. Their access to nutrition, education, and healthcare has been severely disrupted. These children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and elderly women are facing immense hardship, leading to grave psychological and social consequences. The absence of economic opportunities has further deepened the despair.”

The parliamentary committee further asked the ministry to “ensure direct monitoring” of the initiative and “transparent delivery” of assistance to prevent misuse and guarantee the well-being of affected individuals.

“Special provisions must be made for the education of displaced children, healthcare for lactating mothers, and employment alternatives for affected women to rebuild their lives. Steps must be taken to safeguard women and children in relief camps from sexual violence,” the committee said.

The ongoing conflict between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zos, residing mostly in the valley and hills respectively, erupted on May 3, 2023, leaving at least 262 dead and over 60,000 displaced. Manipur was placed under President’s Rule on February 13 with the Lok Sabha adopting a statutory resolution confirming the imposition of central rule.

Central rule was imposed four days after the resignation of then chief minister N. Biren Singh following resentment within the ruling BJP over his handling of the situation. The Assembly, however, has been kept under suspended animation.

The 130-page report with annexure also “acknowledges” the reports of the National Commission on Women (NCW) from its enquiry visits to Manipur.

“The reports note that women are the worst affected in a crisis, and many instances of violence against women are not being reported due to the fear of social stigma. Further, the NCW report shares that in a meeting with women of 117 associations and student federations, “they narrated their loss of faith and confidence in the system”.

The committee recommended that the NCW “stay apprised of issues relating to law and order in Manipur and proactively ensure that the concerns of women are registered and acted upon by the relevant authorities”.

The committee also flagged the NCW’s consistent emphasis “on the need for a women-led peace-building and cooperation effort” following its consultations in the state.

“The committee notes that the NCW Northeast Cell’s activities has largely been focused on other states in the Northeast during the last two years, but that its resources can be leveraged to support peace-building and conflict resolution between local communities in Manipur,” the report mooted.