Stories that Matter

Guwahati, 24 May 2015: Shillong-based NGOs, Civil Society Women Organisation (CSWO) and  Thma U Rangli   Juki ( TUR ) pressure groups have sought more deliberations on the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council ( KHADC) Village Administration Bill 2014, and urged inclusion of all stake holders in the discussion.   The CSWO in a press release issued on May 19, 2015 raised concerns that most of the traditional bodies don’t include women and in some cases women are not even allowed to sit in the Dorbar, the traditional panchayat of Khasi community and hence empowering the headmen of Dorbar will lead to more discrimination against women and human rights violation. The allegations are based on the fact that in many instances headmen are depriving villagers of their basic rights, like right to live, right to food, right to nutrition for children, and right to education etc for women and children and often favour the ruling political party and get away with their malpract...

http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/sudden-closure-of-media-houses-in-north-east-render-hundreds-jobless Guwahati, 28 May 2015: A prominent news channel of north east India, Focus NE (previously known as NE TV) was officially closed down on Tuesday at Guwahati, Assam. Several media organisations like Electronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA) has expressed concerns over the sudden closure and urged the management to compensate its employees as per their entitlements. Launched in March 2004, this was the first satellite news channel of north east India delivering news in 16 north-eastern languages and served to nearly 50 million people. EMFA apprehended that the news channel may be re-launched in a different name and in that case, urged the management to continue the employment of the present staff. The local news channels in Assam and in north east India play an important role in exposing the human rights violations, corruptions and educate people with timely information and knowledge. H...