No woman's land: Revisiting gender, land rights and policy perspectives in India

Land and property rights play a critical role in enhancing agency and empowerment of women. Secure and equitable land rights of women are integral in achieving gender equality and empowerment of women and the overall development of the country. Women own less than 20 per cent of the world's land even when more than 400 million women engage in agricultural activities and produce the majority of the world's food supply. Land is a contested socio-cultural issue for women as they are often denied agency both in their natal and marital home. The inequitable distribution of land and natural resources puts women in an unfavourable position, exacerbating the add-ons of gender inequality and discrimination, which in effect, make both their natal as well as marital homes, a no woman's land. Within the conceptual framework of agency, empowerment and sustainable development, this paper analytically reviews the contemporary land right issues of women in India using secondary data sources; probes into the pertinent issues and challenges; identifies policy as well as implementation gaps; and further suggests policy interventions which will enhance property rights, entitlements, access and control over resources in favour of women, that could lead the country towards achieving Agenda 2030.