In fighting for their rights to claim and control land, some women are de facto empowering themselves, sometimes quite dramatically. Further, once they feel secure about their access to land some feel able to do and accomplish more – not just for themselves, but for their children first, and then their communities.
Loosely defined, the land title has offered women a platform for action, a sense of status, and opened up possibilities for participating in nation-building – all of which can be interpreted as empowerment. Here are the inspirational stories from these women who have never looked back but have overcome all odds to get a homestead land patta which means an entire life for them.
Bhagyalata Sahu, 44 years, is a single woman from Mundamarai, Ganjam, and had never thought of getting a homestead land under land rights. A woman who lived in stark reality of being lonely had no knowledge of schemes which could give her a homestead land. Bhagyalata says, “It was the relentless effort of the local administration and ActionAid India, an NGO, which enabled many of us to provide a land patta. Now, I am hopeful that as soon as I get possession of the land, I would grow vegetables there. Having a piece of land is a priceless asset for me”.
Sabita Sahu, aged about 35 years, of Mundamarai village of Dharakot Tahasil of Ganjam district was just two years old; while playing outside her house she met with an accident. Her father Krushna Sahu was a poor marginal farmer and was not able to provide proper medical care and Sabita lost her mobility. As she grew older, she was not sent to school because of her limited mobility. To support her brothers who were working as seasonal agricultural labourers, Sabita started making paper bags. Gradually, she introduced the colourfully designed bags which got appreciation in the local market. She was given advance for bulk orders during puja and the festival season. But living in a small house and with limited physical ability, she was not able to meet the demand.
The Orissa government’s Single Women Land Rights programme brought a solution to Sabita’s problems. Sabita, being a single woman with disabilities, matched the beneficiary eligibility criteria to receive a homestead plot of 40 decimals in Mundamarai village under the OPLEA scheme.
The success stories of women are quite pertinent to highlight in a case where the state is home to nearly five lakh single women.
“Our engagement with the community strengthened the single women in coming together and building an exclusive formation of single women at the tehsil level with the strong sense of assertion for their rights and control over land and resources,” says BN Durga who has actively worked to ensure land rights for single women in Ganjam district.
At a time when we are celebrating the spirit of womanhood worldwide, we cannot afford to miss prioritising women and building a society where gender equality is greatly treasured. What we can say to these women: ‘Being single doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means that you’re strong enough to wait for what you deserve’.
Source: http://www.orissapost.com/fight-for-womens-empowerment/#sthash.ULUQfYSN.dpuf
Loosely defined, the land title has offered women a platform for action, a sense of status, and opened up possibilities for participating in nation-building – all of which can be interpreted as empowerment. Here are the inspirational stories from these women who have never looked back but have overcome all odds to get a homestead land patta which means an entire life for them.
Bhagyalata Sahu, 44 years, is a single woman from Mundamarai, Ganjam, and had never thought of getting a homestead land under land rights. A woman who lived in stark reality of being lonely had no knowledge of schemes which could give her a homestead land. Bhagyalata says, “It was the relentless effort of the local administration and ActionAid India, an NGO, which enabled many of us to provide a land patta. Now, I am hopeful that as soon as I get possession of the land, I would grow vegetables there. Having a piece of land is a priceless asset for me”.
Sabita Sahu, aged about 35 years, of Mundamarai village of Dharakot Tahasil of Ganjam district was just two years old; while playing outside her house she met with an accident. Her father Krushna Sahu was a poor marginal farmer and was not able to provide proper medical care and Sabita lost her mobility. As she grew older, she was not sent to school because of her limited mobility. To support her brothers who were working as seasonal agricultural labourers, Sabita started making paper bags. Gradually, she introduced the colourfully designed bags which got appreciation in the local market. She was given advance for bulk orders during puja and the festival season. But living in a small house and with limited physical ability, she was not able to meet the demand.
The Orissa government’s Single Women Land Rights programme brought a solution to Sabita’s problems. Sabita, being a single woman with disabilities, matched the beneficiary eligibility criteria to receive a homestead plot of 40 decimals in Mundamarai village under the OPLEA scheme.
The success stories of women are quite pertinent to highlight in a case where the state is home to nearly five lakh single women.
“Our engagement with the community strengthened the single women in coming together and building an exclusive formation of single women at the tehsil level with the strong sense of assertion for their rights and control over land and resources,” says BN Durga who has actively worked to ensure land rights for single women in Ganjam district.
At a time when we are celebrating the spirit of womanhood worldwide, we cannot afford to miss prioritising women and building a society where gender equality is greatly treasured. What we can say to these women: ‘Being single doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means that you’re strong enough to wait for what you deserve’.
Source: http://www.orissapost.com/fight-for-womens-empowerment/#sthash.ULUQfYSN.dpuf
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