Mizoram Women's Group Marks 52 Years of Advocacy

Aizawl: Mizoram’s largest women’s group, the Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl, hit its 52nd anniversary on Monday. Members skipped the pomp. Instead, they delivered food and supplies to families holed up in refugee camps at Sihmui, Sairang, and Chawnpui.

The group started in 1974. It now runs 700 branches from its base at Aizawl’s Treasury Square. Over decades, it challenged customs that locked women out of property. They lobbied for the Mizo Marriage, Divorce and Inheritance of Property Act of 2014. That law finally let divorced women claim half of their marital property.

Protesters from the group regularly fill streets in Aizawl, Lunglei, Kolasib, Champhai, and Saiha to demand justice for victims of rape and murder. Their work stays rooted in the motto "Service to Others."

Mizoram Governor sent a message to mark the foundation day. He said the group made significant contributions to women’s welfare, justice, and empowerment through its social service initiatives. They currently partner with the state government on vocational training, counseling, and aid for the destitute.