Voyages of Women in Manipur

The document examines the transition of women's roles in Manipur from the monarchical era to the present day under Indian governance. It highlights a historical tradition of high social status and political agency, exemplified by the Nupi Keithel market and the Nupi Lal uprisings, which contrasts with contemporary barriers to electoral politics. The author argues that while women are largely excluded from formal political decision-making, they remain powerful agents of peace and human rights through civil society organizations, such as the Meira Paibis and EEVFAM, particularly in protesting atrocities committed under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

• Historically, women in Manipur held high social positions and exercised significant political influence, including the ability to revoke royal execution decrees through silent protests at the Nupi Keithel ('Women’s Market').
• Women have a legacy of organized political resistance against colonial and state authority, notably the first Nupi Lal (Women's Uprising) of 1904 against British forced labour and the second Nupi Lal of 1939 against the export of rice during a scarcity.
• The 1949 Merger Agreement and the subsequent imposition of Indian norms and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) of 1958 led to social disruptions and gender-based atrocities, including rape and sexual assault by security forces.
• Contemporary women in Manipur face significant structural barriers to formal political power; only 5% of the legislative assembly members (3 out of 60) are women, and only one woman serves as a cabinet minister.
• Women exert more influence through civil society and activism than through electoral politics, with groups like the Meira Paibis patrolling streets to protect civilians from military operations and protesting human rights violations.
• The Extrajudicial Execution Victims Families Association, Manipur (EEVFAM), composed of conflict widows, has used legal tools to challenge extrajudicial killings in the Supreme Court of India, contributing to a decrease in such executions.

APA

Meitei, L. U. (2016). Voyages of Women in Manipur. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/11553f8c-2d2c-46b3-8080-915454761b6c/Meitei - Voyages of Women in Manipur PRIO Paper 2016.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Meitei, Leitanthem Umakanta. Voyages of Women in Manipur. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2016. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/11553f8c-2d2c-46b3-8080-915454761b6c/Meitei - Voyages of Women in Manipur PRIO Paper 2016.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Meitei |first1=Leitanthem Umakanta |title=Voyages of Women in Manipur |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2016 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/11553f8c-2d2c-46b3-8080-915454761b6c/Meitei - Voyages of Women in Manipur PRIO Paper 2016.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{meitei2016voyages, author = {Meitei, Leitanthem Umakanta}, title = {{Voyages of Women in Manipur}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2016}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/11553f8c-2d2c-46b3-8080-915454761b6c/Meitei - Voyages of Women in Manipur PRIO Paper 2016.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }