Women in the Politics: Meitei Women of Manipur

Meitei society is a patriarchal society with strong matrimonial practice. In every aspect of life women played a major role. Most of the deities of Meitei community are female goddess which exhibits the importance of women. In the aspects of economic, social, cultural and even in politics the Meitei women play prominent role in form of symbolic mother. Nevertheless, women’s political contribution had not been fully express. Either it may be during the course of agitation or aftermath of agitation the decision and direction was often taken by the male folk who are behind them. Indeed, Manipuri women mainly Meitei women are brave and often indulge in activism for better society. When the world began the feminist movement, Meitei women are in the verse of transformation from the family responsibility to more social responsibility. In the anal of Manipur history, Meitei women are active in social movement, economic, politics and safeguard of the nation, yet their political participation remains relatively. Despite this the Meitei women continued to contribute in movements of safeguarding territorial integrity, human rights protections, movement against Armed Forces Special Power Act 1958, movement for Inner Line Permit System, removal of Protected Area Permit, against the intoxicant and drug abuses and empowering women during ethnic conflict. Meitei women continued to make contribution in the discourse of Manipur politics without desirable political representation.