In the absence of individual land rights, community forest rights empower tribal women in Gujarat and Odisha, amplifying their voices in village-level decision-making and reaffirming their role in protection and management of their natural resources.
The Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006 recognises the rights of tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers (OTFDs) to essential forest resources.
Individual forest rights of the FRA give them the right to hold, and live in, the forest land under the individual or common occupation for habitation or for self-cultivation for livelihood. Community forest rights give the right of ownership, access to collect, use and dispose minor forest produce which has been traditionally collected.
The individual forest rights (IFR) granted to forest-dwelling families, including both spouses, aim at equal ownership, though this remains true mostly on paper. However, it’s the community forest rights (CFR) under FRA that greatly increase women’s autonomy and land access.
Women actively contested and claimed forest land, protecting its boundaries from encroachment, through communal systems such as thengapalli (thenga means stick and palli means turns referring to a patrolling system, where women take turns to guard their forest).
In a deeply rooted patriarchal society, in general, women face difficulty in inheriting ancestral property. For tribal women, the challenges cut deep, with added layers of socio-cultural and economic marginalisation. While some women are aware of ancestral property rights through IFR, they prioritise claiming CFR, as it grants them more agency in decision-making and management of forest resources.
In some cases, women in Mahisagar district of Gujarat and Dhenkanal district of Odisha have spearheaded the process of getting the community forest rights, though they possessed IFR already.
Mahisagar district in Gujarat is home to the Bhil tribal community, who have historically worked as soldiers, hunter-gatherers and agricultural workers. The Bhil community of Kotra village in Mahisagar district has received the community forest rights – which gives them the rights to manage their forests and collect non-timber forest produce (NTFP) from the forest.
Kalpana, a resident of Kotra village, is a community resource person (CRP) and supports the village institutions in carrying out different development activities.
Women like Kalpana engage in agricultural activities, NTFP collection and animal husbandry for their livelihood. Also, they actively participate in the activities of their self-help groups (SHG) and anganwadis.
However, when it comes to ancestral property rights, women still do not have access and are often kept out of these matters.
“In my family, land typically passes to male members due to the traditional role of men as breadwinners and family caretakers. Women, upon marriage, move to a different family. This long-standing practice, unquestioned over time, is upheld to maintain harmony in the family,” said Kalpana.
But now, their understanding of laws such as the Forest Rights Act, 2006, including legal provisions of individual forest rights and community forest rights, has helped them assert their rightful claims to the forests.
Vinu, another resident of Kotra, reflecting on the transformative impact of the CFR, said, “Earlier, I was solely a homemaker. My husband bore the financial burden of the family, which was overwhelming for him. However, after getting the CFR title, our situation has changed. Now, we can legally gather NTFP which has broadened our livelihood options, leading to increased income.”
For individuals like Kalpana and Vinu, the ability to contribute to both society and their families is a source of immense pride.
Vinu said, “In terms of workload, not much has changed; in fact, it has increased. Yet, in the past, we sometimes went to bed hungry. Now, we sleep with a full stomach.”
In Dhenkanal district of Odisha, Santhal and Juanga are the dominant tribes. Both worship the forest and have been traditional hunter-gatherers and agricultural workers. Tribals and OTFDs, especially women, are mostly dependent on the forest for their sustenance and livelihood due to limited landholdings and are often unable to earn a substantial income from agriculture.
Women are mostly involved in the collection and sale of NTFPs, which constitute 30-40 percent of the household income. They also possess rich knowledge about forest resources, which makes them critical to the process of claiming CFR.
Despite their contributions, they face economic discrimination. Nirmala Pradhan, a resident of Balikuma village, said, “All the labour-intensive work is done by the women, but we receive Rs 300 per day, whereas men get Rs 350.”
However, women are now asserting their rights with resilience. This resilience stems from active participation in decision making at village level, including management of their forests, claiming CFR, planning and implementing post-CFR management plans, running SHGs and putting forward their suggestions in gram sabhas.
For the tribal and OTFD communities, the forest serves as their land. They understand that every girl child, from birth, has the right to inherit a share of ancestral property. Harawati Pradhan, an elderly lady, said, “Even if we are not aware of the law, we do not differentiate between boys and girls; both have equal rights.”
Women staking a claim to inherited land are frequently stigmatised as opportunistic and materialistic. However, growing awareness is evident among women that entitlement to ancestral property need not diminish upon marriage and relocation.
“We are conditioned to believe that our families invest in our education, dowry and other gifts, making it acceptable for the property to stay within the family,” remarked Nirmala Pradhan.
Implementation of FRA, especially CFR, has triggered a marked change. The CFR titles have empowered women by granting them access and control over forest resources. They proactively participate in management and governance of their forests. This has enhanced their voice and agency and has fostered economic independence by access to forest resources, thereby contributing to the overall well-being of women in these communities.
The lead image on top shows a woman pointing towards forests on a map, showing where CFR has been granted in Balikuma village. (Photo by Priyanka M)
Priyanka Minj is an Assistant Project Manager at Foundation for Ecological Security, Anand, Gujarat.
