He said that it would be impossible to create an economically prosperous and a healthy and happy society, without addressing these issues and ensuring full participation of women in the decision-making structures.
"We need to ensure that our women are guaranteed equal opportunities in all spheres - social, economic and political," he said launching a Poorna Shakti Kendra with Nagaland State Social Welfare Board on International Women's Day.
"In our country, it is said that we worship women. In our religions we find many female goddesses, who are considered more powerful than even the male Gods," he said.
"In our houses we love our mothers, sisters, and wives but the question is do we really respect them, the way we respect the male member of family? I wish I could say with confidence, that we treat our women folk in the same manner that we treat our male relatives," he added.
She, however, lamented that despite the rise, Naga women continued to face a variety of problems, particularly on safety issues as there was an increasing trend of violence against women.