TEZU, 9 Sep: Former chairperson of Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW) Adv Radhilu Chai Techi exhorted youth of the state to introspect and work towards building a just and fair Arunachali society, saying that women of the state have been deprived of an equal right to property in the name of social customs and customary laws.
Techi said that social inequalities and discrimination against girl child and women have existed for centuries not only in India but all over the world, but enlightened youth have struggled and worked to abolish them in many societies.
She was delivering the keynote address on "Legal Literacy for Youth" at the International Literacy Week celebration here in Lohit district organised jointly by Bamboosa Library, Forum of Library Activists, Medo, district adult education dept, Lohit and the Akashvani Tezu on 8 September.
"Though far better than many other communities in the rest of India, for decades, our Arunachali daughters and women have been deprived of an equal right to property, in the name of social customs and customary laws," Techi lamented.
She expressed hope that literacy skills should help the youth to study social problems and work towards removing common man's misconceptions on those rigid customs that become meaningless with the change of time.
Banika Kri from Forum of Library Activists urged the youth to use their reading habits to come out of academic lethargy, progress intellectually and support the women in their family to receive equal recognition and respect.
Expressing her appreciation for the spirited participation of youth in the celebrations, DAEO Jinquilu Chai assured all support to Bamboosa Library in spreading awareness among people.
Lohit Youth Library Network Coordinator S. Mundayoor remembered that DAEO Jinquilu Chai has been associated with Bamboosa Library since inception. It was district adult education department that joined hands to organising Bamboosa Library's first public reading awareness programme in May 2007.
He also acknowledged Adv Techi's active patronage to the reading movement in the last 2 decades that enabled the youth library movement to develop a large circle of patrons across the country.
The celebrations commenced with the preliminary written round of the 3rd AIR Literacy Quiz by Akashvani Tezu for college students that saw active participation of 30 students from the Govt. Indira Gandhi College. The final Radio quiz will be held on 10 Sept at Akashvani Tezu.
