It all began with a workshop organized by All India Coordinating Forum of the Adivasi/Indigenous Peoples (AICFAIP)  on ‘Women & Regional Histories’ in collaboration with the Indian Association of Women’s studies, Hyderabad on june 24-25, 1999 at Guwahati, Assam, India.

Chanmayo  Jajo, a lawyer and member of the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights was the Convenor of the Steering Committee for the North East Regional Workshop alongwith Anjali Daimari, Convenor of Women’s Core group. All India Coordinating Forum of the Adivasi/Indigenous People (AICFAIP) in Guwahati.

                The objectives of the workshop were:

• To reaffirm our distinct ethnicities
• To identify discriminatory and gender biased practices in our culture while affirming our culture
• To study the impact of assimiliation processes using educational policies, religion, language, technology, law, systems of governence, developmental policies etc.
• To respond to the various forms of suppression/oppression through organised peoples’ movements.
• To strengthen links, networking and solidarity amongst the indegenous women & organisations of the North East.
• To document and disseminate our histories, issues, movements etc.

Members Present:

It was in the course of attending this workshop that the participants representing the women’s and people’s organisations that the need to have a common platform for the indigenous women of the North East was first discussed. The matter was discussed and the participating women unanimously agreed to form a common platform for the Indigenous Tribal women of North East India having the following objectives:

1. To strengthen links, networking and solidarity amongst the IP women and organisations of the North East.
2. To identify the challenges facing IP women including discriminatory practices in our culture while at the same time affirming our culture.
3. Documentation and dissemination of our histories, issues, movements etc.
4. To study the impact of assimilation process using educational policies, religion, language, technology, law, systems of governance, developmental policies, etc.
5. To respond to the various forms of suppression/oppression through organised people’s movements with specific plan or action locally, regionally, nationally and intenationally.
6. To reaffirm our distinct ethnicity and streamline the role of women in the struggle of Ips.
7. To identify specific issues/problems faced by IP women in general, in specific, at regional context and evolving responses to them, at the local and national level and to link up with other women’s organisations and
8. To undertake economic activities for self-development and self- sustenance.

The participants proposed the common platform to be under the name and style of ‘The North East India Indigenous/Tribal Women’s Coordinating Committee.

                                The participants also unanimously agreed to constitute an Ad-hoc Coordinating Committee having the following members:

1. Coordinator: Ms. Chanmayo Jajo, Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights
2. Co- coordinators: Ms. Veronica K. Zatluangi, Mizo Hmeithai Association and Ms. Anjali Daimari, Boro Women’s Justice Forum
3. Member Secretary: Ms. Jarjum Ete, Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society
4. Members: all participating women’s organisations

There was a special sitting of Indegenous Tribal Women of North East India held on 22- 25^th Oct. 2004 at CBCNEI Conference Hall, Guwahati.

In the meeting on 24.10.2004 which was chaired by Ms. Anjali Daimari, chairperson and after a long discussion, the members decided that the name of the organisation should be called ‘Indigenous Tribal Women Forum of North East India’ along with the selection of Convenor and State Convenors. The organizations represented at this meeting was Naga Women Union, Manipur (NWUM), All Bodo Women’s Welfare Federation,Boro Women justice Forum, Hmar Women Association, Borok  Women’s Forum, Human Rights and  Law Network, Mizoram (HRLNM), Zomi Women Association, Naga Mothers Association, Rongmei Women’s  Organization, Dimapur, Women Development Organisation, Tamenglong and the AJA Daily.