North East Network, Nagaland, celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8,2021, by bringing together rural women, village leaders and women collectives to celebrate women’s leadership within their household and communities. The events highlighted women’s agency and their capacity to bring about change in their own lives and communities, especially during the critical Covid-19 pandemic. IWD events were observed at three locations viz –Chizami, Meluri – Phek, Phekerkriema – Kohima and Shamator Town – Tuensang, simultaneously bringing together the community to a discourse and celebration of the success of grassroots women leaders and recognising their contribution to the welfare of the society.
This year’s global IWD theme was “Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a Covid-19 World “celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The pandemic laid bare the existing structural inequalities. Women are the most affected by the crisis because of their invisible work and informal work arrangements. They have experienced increased job losses and have borne the brunt of the additional unpaid responsibilities of caregiving and domestic work resulting from the pandemic.
