Dr Charu WaliKhanna Member NCW Chaired Session on “Diaspora and Gender” on 29th March, 2013. The programme was organised by Organisation for Diaspora Initiatives (ODI) in collaboration with School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University on 29th March, 2013 at India International Centre, New Delhi. 

Dr. Charu WaliKhanna spoke on the role of National Commission for Women which has been nominated as the Coordinating agency at the National level for dealing with issues pertaining NRI marriages vide Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs order dated 28th April 2008. Based on the recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Woman (14th Lok Sabha) on the subject “ Plight of Indian Woman deserted by NRI husbands” which was discussed and deliberated upon the Inter Ministerial Committee meeting held on 7th July, 2008. She emphasised in this already complex scenario where matrimonial disputes are placed, the legal complications get multiplied manifold when a marriage steps out of the borders of a country and therefore the boundaries of the country’s legal system, in a phenomenon that has come to be known as the “NRI marriages”. These marriages have to then enter the domain – often called the ‘maze’ - of private international law that deals with the interplay and conflict of laws of different countries, which makes the issues therein that much more complex. 

The Panelists for the Session "Diaspora and Gender" included Dr. Nandini C. Sen, Associate Professor, Cluster Innovation Centre, University of Delhi who spoke on "Gender, Nation and the Female Body : A Study of Jhumpa Lahiri’s Namesake". She said that in the 60s women went as spouses without a real understanding of the issues relating to migration. She stressed on the need for both the host and immigrant to assimilate each other's culture. 

Dr. Kamini Krishna, Faculty Member, Deptt. of History, University of Zambia spoke on "Women of Indian Descent Migrated to South Africa and Zambia : A survey of their contribution to New homes". She emphasised that the push and pulls of women migrating to Africa were different. She also listed successful women professionals in Africa. 

Sital Baa, Research Scholar, School of Social Science, JNU, New Delhi spoke on 'Gender and Diaspora : Cultural Reproduction and the reconstruction of Identities through Cinema' and highlighted that Indian films reinforced patriarchal values. 

The discussant Dr. Amba Pande commented on all the three speakers after which the house was open for discussion. 

During the two days session topics covered included “Contingencies and differences in India’s Diaspora Policies”, Chaired by Professor Varun Sahni, Chairperson, Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament. “Diaspora as a Resource” Chaired by Ambassador Dayakar, Former J.S., Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India “Indian Diaspora : Comparative Analysis” Chaired by Prof. Anand Singh, Faculty Member, Deptt. of Anthropology, South Asia. “Indian Diaspora in Eastern and Central Africa” Chaired by Prof. S.N.Malakar, Director of UGC, JNU, New Delhi. “Indian Diaspora in Southern Africa” Chaired by Prof. Aparajita Biswas, Professor and Director, Deptt. of African Studies, Mumbai. “India and its Diaspora in Asia” Chaired by Prof. M.M.Kaul, Professor, JNU, New Delhi and “Indian Diaspora in Europe, North America and the Caribbean” Chaired by Mr.Goolam Yahed, University of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.

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