Birubala Rabha chosen for Women Summit Foundation award

Assam Social Aspects of state

Birubala Rabha, a tribal woman hailing from a Thakurbhila ,remote village in Golaghat District of Assam- Meghalaya Border, is selected for the Women’s World Summit Foundation (WWSF) 2018 Award. She has been fighting a long battle against the menance of witchcraft and witch-hunting. The WWSF annually awards ten prize winers with a prize money of US$1,000.
The WWSF felicitates the women, who contributes to improve the quality of life in rural areas, protect the environment, rise up for women’s rights, and participates in the realisation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) UN Agenda 2030.
Earlier on 4rth July 2015, her efforts were recognised and she was awarded the 12TH Upendra Nath Brahma Soldier of Humanity in Kokrajhar. This award grants her INR 25,000, a citation and a bronze memento. In the past she has also won the Assam Government’s Best Social Enterpreneur award .

Gauhati University has also appreciated this noble initiative of Rabha by honouring her with honorary Doctorate Degree.

Women’s World Summit Foundation (WWSF)

WWSF is an international, not-for-profit, humanitarian NGO network serving the advancement of women and children's rights, development and peace via its annual conferences, Calls to Action, campaigns, world days and prizes.
Created in 1994, the WWSF Prize is a recognition of achievements, awarded every year to women and women's groups around the world who exhibit exceptional creativiy, courage and commitment in improving the quality of life in rural communities.

Witch Hunting in Assam:

Witch hunting or witch branding are the social menaces, which are very much prevalent in the State of Assam. Witch doctors are the people, who usually brand women (in few cases man also) as a witch, in cases where there are issues of drought, flood, illness, and death of the people of the particular locality.
The reasons for witch hunting or witch crafting are many, however, it has been in practice as a part of traditional belief, which is the reason people are reluctant to give up the practice.
Existing laws in India have failed to address the issue. NGOs, Civil Societies, and Judiciary had expressed several times for need of the special laws for curbing this social evil.
The Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention, and Protection) Bill, 2015 is a landmark bill to curb the menace of witch-hunting.