CWLR organises Consultation on muslim women’s land rights

The members of CWLR including Sathi all for partnerships, Social Development Foundation and Action Aid India jointly organized a consultation on women and land rights for women of the muslim community at Gungoh (Uttar Pradesh) on 26th and 27th April 2006.

The members of CWLR including Sathi all for partnerships, Social Development Foundation and Action Aid India jointly organized a consultation on women and land rights for women of the muslim community at Gungoh (Uttar Pradesh) on 26^th and 27^th April 2006.

The Gungoh Consultation was a path breaking consultation as it focused on the less kown and understood area of muslim women’s land rights. Community women, local level organizations, social activists, academicians, members of panchayats, members from UP State assembly and local religious leaders attended the consultation. Engaging discussions took place on muslim women’s rights to family property, government land and public resources as well as the need for documentation. There was much enthusiasm and the Sathi office got several requests for participation.

The Consultation elicited a very positive response from all members. Maulana Nawab Hasan Nadawi whole-heartedly supported the initiation of discussions on muslim women’s land rights. He promised to take concrete steps and said that he would report back to consultation organizers within a week’s time with regard to settling of six cases of muslim women’s land rights. Ms. Shaista Amber of Muslim Women Personal Law Board agreed to draft a pamphlet on muslim women’s property rights as mentioned in the Constitution, Human Rights framework and the Shariat laws. Dr. Anjum Qureshia said that “women should be encouraged to have collective economic programs and the Ulema should include information on women’s property rights in the Khutba (Friday discourse)”. The village pradhan promised a land grant for women’s group activity.

A very important outcome of the Gungoh Consultation was the drafting of the Gungoh Declaration for discussions in further consultations on Muslim women’s property and land rights. Among other things the declaration talks about implementing provisions in the Shariat Act to enable muslim women to own agricultural property.

Participants of the Consultation went back with an increased understanding on the issue of muslim women’s land rights as well as plans for further consultations in different areas of UP, Uttaranchal, Delhi and Gujarat. Local level organizations agreed to undertake much needed surveys on landholding patterns and availability of government schemes for muslim women.

A report on the Gungoh Consultation has been uploaded under the reports section of the CWLR website.