Gender, Governance of Commons and Livelihood Security: A Study of the North Bengal Tea Region of West Bengal, India

Studies on tea gardens of North Bengal and elsewhere hitherto have not only conspicuously failed to grasp the complex interplay of a multiplicity of variables impacting on the livelihoods and its diversification options of its workers, but also have remained silent on the identification of the tea garden commons and their governance, which has a direct relationship with the issues of gender and livelihoods in the tea gardens. The present study, drawing from the researches on ‘commons’ on the one hand, and, theoretical insights on livelihood issues on the other, and employing a ‘mixed’ methodology of study-a sort of a hybrid methodology, synthesising the merits of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies keeping in view the analytical exploratory and descriptive nature of the study based on an emergent approach, is an earnest attempt to unfold the contours and complexities of livelihood threat encountering tea workers in general and the womenfolk therein in particular, and explore the possible remedial measures, including possibilities of livelihood diversification options through possible advances in the governance of ‘commons’ in tea garden situations. Specifically the study seeks to identify and enlist the Tea Garden ‘Commons’; identify the existing pattern of governance of the tea garden commons and investigate whether the present system of the governance of commons is accentuating livelihood insecurities of tea garden women in particular and tea workers in general and finally explore the possibility of enhancement of livelihood opportunities of the tea workers in general and tea garden women in particular by way of ‘reform’ of the governance of the commons in the gardens.