MHIP Day in Mizoram Date in the current year: July 6, 2024

The name “Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl”, commonly abbreviated as MHIP, can be roughly translated from Mizo as “binding women together”. And the name fits, since the organization unites all Mizo women regardless of their caste, religion, marital status, profession, and wealth.

The MHIP was founded on July 6, 1974, back when Mizoram was a union territory of India and not a full-fledged state. It was established to fight against old patriarchal customs and to promote women’s rights. Since then, the MHIP has broadened its activity to help those in need, but most of its activities still focus on the welfare of women and children.

The headquarters of the MHIP is located in the state capital of Aizawl. It oversees the organization’s district headquarters in Champhai, Kolasib, Lawngtlai, Lunglei, Mamit, Saiha, and Serchhip, as well as acts as the district headquarters of Aizawl. The district headquarters, in their turn, coordinate local branches in cities, towns, and villages in their respective districts.

The MHIP is open to all women over the age of 14. Since it is a voluntary organization with a focus on philanthropic social work, its members are not paid for their contribution, but helping those who need it and changing their lives for the better is a reward in itself. The MHIP is one of the biggest voluntary organizations in Mizoram.

The MHIP aims to draw attention to crimes against women, such as domestic violence, rape, and murder, and to pursue justice for the victims and punishment for the perpetrators. In several cases, it was mass protests organized by the MHIP throughout the state that made the state government take appropriate action and make sure that justice was served and criminals were punished.

The organization also helps women who have found themselves in a tough spot after a divorce (in Mizoram, divorce is typically initiated by men and women are usually left empty-handed afterwards, with no means to support themselves), single mothers, domestic abuse survivors, and children from low-income families.

The MHIP provides family counseling, works with stakeholders to introduce and support gender equality policies, carries out various educational activities, organizes awareness campaigns to draw attention to women’s rights violations, and hosts fundraisers that allow the organization to move forward (since the MHIP is a non-commercial, non-governmental organization, it relies on donations to fund its programming).

Taking into account the important role of the MHIP in the social and economic development of the state and the welfare of its residents, the government of Mizoram declared the organization’s founding anniversary, July 6, an official holiday. The main goal of MHIP Day is to raise awareness of the importance of women’s rights and gender equality.