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{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Orphan|date=December 2013}}

{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Agnes Kharshiing
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| parents = Martin Narayan Majaw, Edith Kharshiing
| relatives = John Filmore Kharshiing
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'''Agnes Kharshiing''' is a [[women's rights]] [[Human rights activists|activist]] in [[Northeast India]]. She is the President of the Civil Society Women's Organization (CSWO).<ref name="Meghalaya Times">{{cite web|title=Agnes Kharshiing arrested|url=http://www.meghalayatimes.info/index.php/front-page/22678-agnes-kharshiing-arrested|publisher=Meghalaya Times|accessdate=16 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516200801/http://www.meghalayatimes.info/index.php/front-page/22678-agnes-kharshiing-arrested|archive-date=16 May 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Her outspoken advocacy and leadership of [[protest]]s for women's and communities' rights has been linked to her detainment.<ref name="bail">{{cite news |title=Kharshiing out on bail|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1131117/jsp/northeast/story_17578461.jsp |publisher=The Telegraph Calcutta|date=3 December 2013}}</ref><ref name="humanrights">{{cite web |title=INDIA: Human rights defender Ms Agnes Kharshiing released; struggle for land rights of indigenous people continues |url=http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAU-032-2013 |publisher=Asian Human Rights Commission|date=20 November 2013}}</ref><ref name="nobail">{{cite news |title=Bail refused to Meghalaya woman activist fighting eviction|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/bail-refused-to-meghalaya-woman-activist-fighting-eviction-113111200947_1.html|publisher=Business Standard|date=12 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Hearing on damages suit - Govt seeks compensation from pressure groups |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1131204/jsp/northeast/story_17640630.jsp |publisher=The Telegraph Calcutta|date=16 November 2013}}</ref>

She has led [[sit-ins]] in protest against government evictions of local communities from [[land rights|land]]. She has spoken out against corporal punishment and bullying in schools. She condemned the appointment of MLA Julius Dorphang, who allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl, as a member of the Assembly Privilege Committee in Meghalaya.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/meghalaya-womens-groups-fume-as-mla-held-for-rape-made-privilege-committee-member-4744692/|title=Meghalaya women’s groups fume as MLA held for rape made Privilege Committee member|date=2017-07-10|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2017-12-16|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://thenortheasttoday.com/meghalaya-student-brutally-punished-in-a-school-in-shillong/|title=Meghalaya: Student alleged to have been brutally punished in a school in Shillong|date=2016-10-12|work=The North East Today|access-date=2017-12-16|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=bail/><ref name="nobail"/>

She was arrested then released in March 2013 for use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty, as well as criminal trespass. She told reporters that as member of a committee on [[justice]], formed as part of Meghalaya Legal Service Authority, she was trying to help the parents of a [[rape victim]] access a media centre.<ref name="marcharrest">{{cite news |title=Agnes arrested, released|url=http://www.theshillongtimes.com/2013/03/27/agnes-arrested-released/ |publisher=The Shillong Times|date=27 March 2013}}</ref> She protested against the eviction drive conducted by Meghalaya Urban Development Authority, for which she was arrested on 9 November 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/notes/saeed-khan-falahi/free-human-rights-defender-ms-agnes-kharshiing-a-letter-to-the-chief-secretary-o/560612057351636/|title=Free Human Rights Defender Ms Agnes Kharshiing! - A Letter to the Chief Secretary of Government Of Meghalaya, India|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2017-12-16}}</ref>

She was involved in exposing [[Graft (politics)|graft]] and lack of [[Aid effectiveness#Improving aid transparency and mutual accountability of donors and recipients|transparency]] in [[Human nutrition#Childand Maternal Nutrition|child nutrition]] programs. She advocated for programs supporting [[local food]] rather than use of [[Tied aid|contractors]]. She organised a rescue mission to Radhamadhab Road - a red light area in Silchar, Assam - to deter the alarming growth in child sex trafficking. Prior to this, she had been interacting with a 16 year old survivor who had escaped from Radhamadhab Road.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.caravanmagazine.in/reportage/trafficked-children-silchar-red-light-area|title=The Price Of Life: The trafficked children of the red-light area in Silchar|date=2017-07-03}}</ref><ref name="food">{{cite news |title=Study reveals graft in child nutrition scheme |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1121210/jsp/northeast/story_16295160.jsp|publisher=The Telegraph Calcutta|date=9 December 2012}}</ref>

Fellow activist [[Angela Rangad]] said Kharshiing's 2013 arrests were attempts "to [[Suppression of dissent|suppress]] any attempt of [[Right to information#India|asking questions]] and bringing to light largescale illegal deals and [[Land grabbing|land grabs]]."<ref>{{cite news |title=Protests over Kharshiing arrest |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1131110/jsp/northeast/story_17549702.jsp|publisher=The Telegraph Calcutta|date=9 November 2012}}</ref>

Kharshiing has not been deterred from activism by [[Detention (imprisonment)|detention]]. She said:
“I will continue to fight with them for their rights and will not retreat even if I have to face arrest a thousand times”<ref name=bail/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kharshiing, Agnes}}
[[Category:Indian women's rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:People from Shillong]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian women activists]]
[[Category:Activists from Meghalaya]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

{{India-activist-stub}}

Agnes Kharshiing - Revision history

>InternetArchiveBot at 05:34, 10 June 2020