Staff Reporter

Shillong, July 8: Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), Rekha Sharma, announced today that the commission is assisting tribal women in starting businesses related to non-timber forest produce.

Addressing the media, Sharma stated, "This is one of the very new initiatives which NCW is taking especially for the Northeastern women because most of the Northeast women are tribals and there are many forests around Northeast. We aim to help them increase their income by working in these areas, focusing on non-timber produce from the forests. We all know that women have knowledge about the forest and its produce, whether it is about herbal trees or any new thing found in the forest."

Sharma explained that to enhance their capacity, the NCW has tailored a specific programme for this purpose. "In this two-day programme, there are many speakers and resource persons who are experts in this area. They will teach women how to start their own businesses with these products, whether it is something herbal, eco-tourism, or other forest-related work. The aim is also to help them become part of the decision-making process in forest-related work," she said, adding that the programme is being launched from Shillong with the hope that it will benefit the women of Meghalaya.

The initiative marks a significant step towards empowering tribal women in the Northeast, leveraging their traditional knowledge and expertise in forest produce to create sustainable livelihoods and enhance their economic independence.