ShodhPatra: International Journal of Science and Humanities

Women, Conflict and Human Rights Violations: A Gendered Analysis of the Manipur Crisis

The northeastern state of Manipur has been characterized by ethnic conflicts, political tensions and a long history of insurgency and militarization. It has witnessed numerous crisis situations that continue even today. This is due to a variety of socio-economic and political factors that have deepened divisions between different communities and groups. During such crisis situations, it is the women that become the most affected and vulnerable section as compared to men. Women face multiple forms of abuse and discrimination, such as sexual violence, rape, slavery, displacement, domestic violence, etc. which has resulted in grave violation of their human rights and also degrade the social fabric of the society. This paper explores the different forms of human rights violation experienced by women during the Manipur crisis. It argues that these violations are not accidental, rather they are systematic in nature and linked to pre-existing gender inequalities that often tend to intensify during conflicts. This paper also studies the gap between legal provisions and their real-world implementation. It highlights the need for a gender-sensitive approach to conflict resolution and measures for safeguarding women’s human rights. Keywords: women, exploitation, human rights, crisis, manipur