11 years ago, I was working as a teacher in my local community. I loved my work but frequently came into contact with large numbers of women who spent their days toiling in the fields. Several things struck me about their situation. First, the pervasive insecurity, which forced them to constantly keep working, and the looming threat of homelessness due to domestic violence and the fear of being thrown out of their homes by their husbands. With no assets to their name, these women had no power and no identity of their own.
In my community, women do all the farm work while the men are hardly seen.
It’s an unfortunate truth that most men have either migrated to cities in search of alternative livelihoods, have decreasing interest in farming, or have succumbed to alcoholism. Despite their hard work, only 1 in 6 rural Indian women own the land they work on.
When I meet women in the field, they often lack agency and have no place to call their own, with no rights to their parental or husband’s homes. In cases of domestic violence, they have nothing of their own to fall back on. Most feel trapped and hopeless. They lack a voice. Without a voice, they have no income or means to make life decisions or achieve long-term financial security.
As I came across more and more women suffering this fate, I knew I had to do something.
I realised that helping women secure their right to land ownership could be life-changing not only for them but also for their children and grandchildren. Owning a piece of land gives women an identity, independence, and security. It allows them to farm, manage their household, and provides a lifelong source of income. A man might sell off the land for financial gain and spend the money on alcohol, but a woman will never think of selling her land, she will safeguard it for her future generations.
I decided to quit my job and dedicate myself full-time with Jan Sahas, a community-centric nonprofit organisation, and NGO partner of Womanity. Jan Sahas works across India with the most excluded social groups to eliminate sexual violence, promote safe migration, and ensure workers’ protection.
They focus on enabling marginalised women to access and own land through linkages to women-friendly government schemes, empowering them to become independent, self-reliant, and financially secure. They are part of Womanity’s ‘Land for Women’ programme, aimed at accelerating gender equality and the economic empowerment of women in rural India by facilitating their access to land entitlements.
I’m incredibly proud of my work, having helped over 2,000 women in my community become landowners. But the work is not easy. Land rights are a highly sensitive and often divisive issue in rural communities. In such a patriarchal society, most women are unaware of their right to landownership and the government funding, schemes, and programmes it unlocks. These resources can provide them with money to build a house – since most currently live in huts – or subsidies for agricultural machinery, seeds, and equipment, which are essential for building a stable future. Even a small piece of land can be transformative, allowing a woman to support her family by growing vegetables in a kitchen garden.
One of the biggest challenges is finding a way to speak to women in a manner that makes them feel safe and comfortable.
Many understandably fear that any discussion could cause huge backlash in their communities and families.
I work with the National Rural Livelihoods Mission, a government scheme that organises ‘awareness sessions’ for women on a range of issues. These sessions allow me to meet and support women, gradually establishing a relationship of trust. I’m very careful not to bring up land ownership immediately. Instead, when the time feels right, I slowly introduce the topic by asking about their source of income and the status of the land they work on. For instance, a woman might be cultivating and paying taxes on land that belonged to her husband, who passed away 10 to 12 years ago, yet she has no ownership or control over it and works for a pittance as a manual labourer.
It is then up to each woman to decide whether she wants my support in moving forward with the claim process. For many, it is a difficult decision. When I first started my work, there were lots of objections to the idea of women owning land. Many men in the community, including husbands, strongly discouraged their wives from attending my meetings.
I was labelled a ‘troublemaker,’ accused of encouraging women to go against their families.
I was threatened many times, and my family faced immense pressure to stop me, but this only made me more determined. The primary fear was that if the wife owned the land and then ran away, the husband would be left with nothing. This is why I also take the time to speak to the men, helping them understand the benefits and security land ownership can provide for the entire family, especially if the husband dies first, leaving his wife widowed with a family to support.
If the woman is keen to proceed, I organise everything and support her throughout the entire process. I meet with her at least four to five times over several months, helping with filling out forms, submitting documents, and communicating with the necessary government departments.
As part of Womanity’s programme, I work with several isolated communities, often travelling long hours through remote areas on my scooter. One story that stands out in my mind is Buri Bai’s. She had no land of her own and worked as a migrant labourer in other farms. When she came back home, her family rejected her, leaving her without any shelter. I helped her identify government land and negotiated with the village panchayat (council) to get her access. I also assisted her in accessing government schemes to build a house. Today, Buri Bai has a roof over her head, land, a house to call her own, and most importantly, independence. Through stories like hers, I see the profound impact of my work.
But there is still so much to be done. With the help of Jan Sahas, I want to continue advocating for and raising awareness among as many women as possible, especially those in remote and isolated areas who are particularly vulnerable.
I also intend to focus on ‘landless women’ who have no family land to inherit, helping them find alternative means of sustainable income generation. This could include jewellery making, animal rearing, and facilitating access to government schemes that will help them set up small businesses. My goal is to empower rural women to become financially independent, ensuring that they can secure a future for themselves and their families. With economic independence comes social independence and the respect of families and communities.
Take my case. Initially, my family and husband were not supportive of my work, but now they feel proud of what I do and see the value of my contributions to our home. Nowadays, when there are any major decisions to be made, they consult me. I’ve also earned the respect of the broader community, because people know me as someone who’s making a difference.
Learn more about Womanity’s ‘Land for Women’ programme at womanity.org
