ONE DAY STATE LEVEL WORKSHOP ON ELDERLY WOMENs LIVELIHOOD APPROACH INCOME GENERAT ION PRESENT SCENARIO IN MANIPUR

Proceedings of the one Day State Level Workshop on Elderly Womens Livelihood Appr oach Income Generation Present Scenario In Manipur, on 14th May, 2012, at Court Hall, New Administrative Block, Manipur University, Canchipur, Imphal. Sponsored by Department of Social Welfare Govt. of Manipur, Jointly Organized by Manipur University Working Women Association and Alzheimers and Related Disorders Societ y of India Manipur Chapter, Imphal The Inaugural function of the one Day State Level Workshop On Elderly Womens Liv elihood Approach Income Generation Present Scenario In Manipur was held at Court Hall, New Administrative Block, ManipurUniversity, with Prof.H,N.K. Sharma, Vice - Chancellor, Manipur University, as Chief Guest and Prof. Ksh Bimola Devi, For mer, Dean School of Social Sciences, Manipur University, as President, Smt. R.K. Nayansana Devi, Chairperson, Manipur State Social Welfare Board, Govt. of Mani pur and Shri Thingnam Joychandra Singh, Women Development Officer, Department of Soc ial Welfare, Govt. of Manipur were the Guests of Honour respectively. The function was started with Welcome Address and Key Note Address given by Prof . P. Madhubala Devi, President , Manipur University Working Women Association. I n her key note address she has highlighted the problem faced by the elderly women such as gender base discrimination often stemming from the deep rooted cultural and social bias, compounded by other forms of disc rimination base on class ,caste, disability, illiteracy unemployment and marital status, She also focused on the patriarchal hierarchy dining property rights t o the elderly Women. Elderly women when compared with elder men dont have time for leisure or recreational activities, Suffering from chronic illness and disa bilities in later life than men. Women suffer greater non-communicable diseases and experience lower social and mental health status especially if they are si ngle and or widowed. This was followed by the speeches delivered by the guests of Honour Smt. R.K. Na yansana Devi said that, God is Invisible; Mothers are physicians appointed by Go d. God Could Not be Everywhere! So, He invented Mothers: to care ; Protect you . When your Mother requires care from her family is she getting it ,You Ignored or taken lightly your mothers problems. and Shri Thingnam Joychandra Singh in he r speech the importance of elderly women in society in Manipur were Highlighte d and the nature of their livelihood and income generation approach were focused , and emphasized as an important area of study. Prof.H.N.K. Sharma, V.C. of M.U., Who was the chief Guest of the function, stres sed the importance of women in society and the need of their empowerment for the development of the society as a whole. He also appreciated the one Day State Le vel Workshop on Elderly Women organized by Manipur University Working Women Asso ciation and Alzheimers and Related Disorders Society of India , Manipur Chapter. He could like to encourage such Workshop on Women Particularly Elderly Women. Prof. Ksh. Bimola Devi in her presidential speech has pointed out the importance of the study elderly women in the present day society. The need for care and a ttention to given to the elderly women by the members of the family is called fo r. The vote of thanks of the Inaugural Function was given by Shri. H. Sanamatum Singh, Editor & General Secretary, Alzheimers & Related Disorders Society of Ind ia, Manipur Chapter, Imphal.

The First technical session of the workshop was started 1.00 pm with Prof. Madhu ri on the Chair. Prof. Bimola has Delivered Lectures as resource person on the topic , Elderly Women: Issues and Challenges She elaborated highlighted why elder ly women has become an issue to be studied and discussed in the 21st century.

. She also presented the Challenges faced by the elderly women both in the famil y as well as in the society. She had emphasized on the need to frame a policy on the elderly women by Government. Dr. Robita Sorokhaibam, Second resource person on the session had discussed the prospect on income generation for the aged women with her lecture on the topic Aged Women: An approach to income Generation. The re al situation of the person is to be critically examine. Accordingly the nature of the income generation is to be identified in two approaches , Traditional ap proach(Agriculture, Agarbati making, Horticulture etc) and Non-Traditional Appro ach( Credit an saving groups, job creation scheme, family business etc). She Co ncluded her topic with a moral that we should love and respect elderly women.

The 2nd technical session was chaired by prof. Ksh Bimola . The first recourse p erson was Dr. L. Kunjashwori Devi, delivering lectures on problem and prospect of elderly women. She had Pointed out the Problem faced by the elderly women suf fering from dementia. The lack of care and attention of the elderly women have created more problems for these elderly women . She mainly focussed on the need of giving health care services by the members of the family to the elderly wom en suffering from dementia. Dr. Ksh. Somendro of Director, Institute of Co-operative Management, Lm phel, emphasized in the growth of SHGs among women to generate their own income i n Manipur. He had also cited many cases on the successful working of SHGs that d irectly helps in the empowerment of women as well as in earning livelihood and additional income for the elderly women. The two session had very interesting interaction among the participants and the resource persons.

The panel discussion of the workshop was held at 4.00 p.m. with the chairperson of both the sessions and four resource persons on the basis of the lectures deli vered by the resource persons and the interactions the members minutely discusse d about the recommendations. After through discussions, the following recommend ation were made: 1. It is necessary to find out the percentage of elderly women in the Manip ur both Valleys and hills according to the 2011 census. 2. The Percentage of unmarried elderly women and disabled elderly womens is to be classified clearly on the basis of 2011 census, 3. The Old- age pension given to the elderly women is to be raised at least

above Rs.1000/- per month. 5. Old-age home for the elderly women is to be provided by the Government and separate homes for physically challenges, and mentally retarded, Alzheimers and Dementia, elderly women. 6. Medical and health care services are to be provided periodically.

7. Media persons should be made aware of an educated on the issue and chall enges faced by the elderly women in the family and society. 8. The Government should provide recreation centres for the elderly women i ncluding religious norms and practices to be observed by the elderly women belon ging to different religion. 9. Incentives are to be given for the formation of SHGs of elderly women by the concerned departments of the Manipur of and the Central Govt. and other fu nding agencies. sd/Prof. P. Madhubala Devi President Manipur University Working Women Association, Canchipur , Imphal -795001 hal-795001 Copy to: 1. 2. 3. 4. The Honble Prime Minister, Govt. of India. The Honble Speaker, Lok Sabha, Govt. of India. The Honble Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Govt. of India. Honble Chairperson, United Progressive Alliance new Delhi sd/H. Sanamatum Singh General Secretary Alzheimers and Related Related Disorders Society of India Manipur Chapter Assembly Road Imp

5. Honble Minister, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Govt. of India. 6. The Honble Minister , Ministry of Women And Child Development Govt. of India. 7. The Honble Minister Ministryof Development for North East Region Govt.of India. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12 . 13. 14. The Chairperson, National Commission for Women, New Delhi. The Chairperson, Central Social Welfare Board, New Delhi. To His Excellency The Governor, Govt. of Manipur Honble Chief Minister, Govt. of Manipur. Honble Minister, Social welfare Govt. Manipur Honble Minister, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Govt. Of Manipur Deputy Commissioner, Govt. Of Manipur, Whole Nine District in Manipur

sd/sd/Prof. P. Madhubala Devi H. Sanamatum Singh President General Secretary Manipur University Working Alzheimer sand Related Women Association,Canchipur, Disorders Society of India Imphal -795001 Manipur Chapter Assembly Road Imphal-795001