Topic: Role of women and women’s organization
Key terms: Customary Laws, Women’s Political Participation, Land Rights, Women’s Organizations, Arunachal Pradesh, Tribal Societies.
Focus: Evaluate effectiveness, cite specific challenges, provide evidence.
Areas of evaluation: Navigating customary laws, enhancing political participation, enhancing land rights.
Customary Laws: Unwritten, traditional laws and practices that govern various aspects of life (including personal matters, property, dispute resolution) within tribal communities. In Arunachal Pradesh, these laws are recognized but can sometimes conflict with statutory laws and modern concepts of gender equality.
Women’s Political Participation: The involvement of women in political processes, including voting, contesting elections, holding political office, and participating in decision-making bodies at local, regional, and state levels.
Land Rights: The rights of individuals or groups to own, access, control, and use land and associated resources. In many tribal societies, land ownership and inheritance are governed by customary laws, often favoring male lineage.
Women’s Organizations: Non-governmental or community-based groups formed by and for women to advocate for their rights, welfare, and empowerment. In Arunachal Pradesh, these include grassroots organizations, women’s unions, and NGOs working at various levels.
Arunachal Pradesh, a state with a rich tapestry of diverse tribal communities, presents a unique socio-legal landscape where statutory laws coexist with deeply entrenched customary laws. These traditional legal systems, while integral to tribal identity, often contain provisions that limit women’s rights, particularly concerning inheritance, land ownership, and participation in traditional decision-making bodies. In this context, women’s organizations have emerged as crucial actors striving to bridge the gap between traditional norms and modern gender equality principles. This evaluation assesses the effectiveness of these organizations in navigating the complexities of customary laws and their impact on enhancing women’s political participation and land rights, highlighting specific challenges encountered and citing relevant evidence.
Arunachal Pradesh is home to over 20 major tribes and numerous sub-tribes, each with its distinct customary laws. These laws, passed down orally or through practice, significantly influence social structure, governance, and property rights. Traditionally, women’s roles were often confined to domestic spheres, and their participation in village councils (Kebangs, Buliangs, etc.) or ownership of ancestral land was limited or non-existent. This patriarchal framework within customary laws poses the primary hurdle for women’s advancement.
Women’s organizations in the state have adopted multi-pronged strategies to address these issues. Their effectiveness can be evaluated by looking at their efforts in:
1. Navigating Traditional Customary Laws:
- Effectiveness: Organizations like the Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society (APWWS) and various district/community-level bodies have actively engaged in dialogue with traditional leaders and village elders. They conduct awareness campaigns within communities to educate both men and women about discriminatory practices under customary laws and advocate for reforms or interpretations that are more favorable to women’s rights. Evidence of effectiveness includes increased awareness among women about their rights, occasional instances where community dialogues have led to minor shifts in how customary laws are applied in specific cases (e.g., regarding maintenance or division of property in case of divorce, although inheritance remains highly challenging), and bringing issues of customary law’s conflict with constitutional rights into public discourse.
- Challenges: The strongest challenge is the deep-rooted resistance from traditional power structures and the inherent difficulty in altering age-old customs and beliefs. The diversity of customary laws across tribes means that advocacy efforts must be tailored, requiring extensive local-level engagement. There is often fear within communities that challenging customary laws might erode tribal identity.
2. Enhancing Women’s Political Participation:
- Effectiveness: Women’s organizations have been instrumental in mobilizing women to participate in local self-governance, particularly in Panchayat elections where reservations exist. They provide training on leadership skills, election processes, and the roles and responsibilities of elected representatives. Organizations encourage women to contest elections and support their campaigns. Evidence includes an increase in the number of women participating in and getting elected to Panchayats, increased attendance of women at Gram Sabhas (village assemblies) following awareness campaigns, and instances where women representatives, often supported by these organizations, have raised local issues effectively.
- Challenges: Despite statutory reservations, women representatives often face proxy control by male relatives, lack of training and resources, and difficulty in being accepted as legitimate decision-makers by traditional bodies and patriarchal community members. Political parties may also be reluctant to field women candidates for higher-level elections (Assembly, Parliament) outside reserved seats. Geographical remoteness and lack of infrastructure also hinder widespread grassroots mobilization and training.
3. Enhancing Women’s Land Rights:
- Effectiveness: Securing land rights under customary law is perhaps the most formidable challenge. Women’s organizations primarily work on raising awareness about women’s often-denied rights to inherit or own ancestral land. They provide legal literacy and counseling to women facing land-related disputes. While direct challenges to customary land inheritance laws have seen limited success due to sensitivity around tribal land ownership concepts (which are collectively held or male-lineage based), organizations advocate for alternative forms of securing women’s land access, such as joint pattas (land titles) with husbands, or recognition of women’s rights over self-acquired property. Some efforts focus on advocating for government schemes related to land allocation to include women as primary beneficiaries or joint titleholders. Evidence of effectiveness is slow but can be seen in increased demand for joint titling, greater awareness among women about their limited rights and the need for change, and inclusion of women’s land rights concerns in policy recommendations made by these organizations to the state government.
- Challenges: Customary laws in most tribes explicitly exclude women from inheriting ancestral landed property, viewing it as belonging to the patrilineal line or the community for future generations through male heirs. Challenging this is seen as challenging the very foundation of tribal land ownership and identity, leading to strong cultural and social backlash. Lack of formal land records in many areas further complicates the matter.
Overall, the effectiveness of women’s organizations in Arunachal Pradesh is significant, though often constrained by the powerful influence of traditional structures and customary laws. They have been most effective in increasing awareness and mobilizing women for political participation at the grassroots level, leveraging statutory provisions like Panchayat reservations. Their effectiveness in directly changing or navigating discriminatory customary laws related to inheritance and land rights is limited and slow, primarily focusing on advocacy, dialogue, and seeking alternative pathways like joint ownership in statutory frameworks or government schemes. Their persistent efforts keep these critical issues on the public and policy agenda, providing vital support systems for women navigating these complex challenges.
In conclusion, women’s organizations in Arunachal Pradesh play a vital and challenging role in advocating for women’s rights within a complex socio-legal environment dominated by customary laws. While they have demonstrated notable effectiveness in enhancing women’s political participation, particularly at the local level through mobilization and capacity building, their progress in fundamentally altering discriminatory customary laws concerning inheritance and land rights is slower due to entrenched traditions and resistance from patriarchal structures. Despite facing significant challenges including cultural barriers, diverse legal landscapes across tribes, and resource constraints, these organizations have been effective in raising awareness, providing support, and keeping the demand for gender equality on the agenda. Their continued efforts are crucial for fostering a more equitable society in Arunachal Pradesh, gradually navigating the intersection of tradition and modern rights to secure a stronger future for women.