ISLAMABAD – The research study on “Women’s Land Rights” has recommended reforms and land redistribution with the intervention of government, as there is a need to ensure redistribution laws and policies are gender sensitive and target poor population.
The policy and research findings launched by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) on Thursday has been jointly funded by Actionaid-Pakistan, International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister on Social Sectors, Shahnaz Wazir Ali, while giving presidential address on the occasion recommended land record documentation system, formation of land courts, national identity cards for women and land redistribution. She lamented that government policies in the past have been very weak in terms of addressing women’s structural concerns, adding that the focus of all policies have been on financial approaches alone while ignoring the broader social aspects.
Wajiha Anwar, while giving presentation on ‘Women’s land rights: Law and policy’ said “The most important change would be to bring inheritance and other family laws under a secular civil code, which would enable the State to enact gender-neutral laws. Even keeping within the confines of Muslim Personal Law, the State could ensure that men and women get equal shares in inheritance as in the case of Turkey and Somalia where male and female children inherit equally from the father’s estate”.
“Inheritance and ownership of family property matters should be decided by special courts so that delay is minimised. Women should have the right to immovable property, as dower and the property should be transferred to the women at the time of Nikah. Any property acquired during marriage should be jointly owned”.
She also suggested that, if a woman provides land security for a loan she should be given concessional credit. This would encourage transfer of property to the woman’s name.
Secretary, Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan Dr Faqir Hussain laid stress on enforcement of inheritance law adding that such an improved mechanism can be useful for the full and effective enforcement of female right to inheritance. He informed that not even 10 percent of women get their due right to property. He stressed to implement the law in the areas of FATA & FANA as well.
Earlier, SDPI visiting research fellow, Dr Saba Gul Khattak gave a brief presentation on the key findings and recommendations of SDPI study adding that we believe that there are windows of opportunity, gaps and spaces that can be utilized effectively by the state, the parliament, the judiciary, and development practitioners to push for women’s rights to land. For food security and women’s traditional agricultural knowledge, it underlines the need to preserve women’s knowledge about agricultural systems and suggests build upon this knowledge to effectively deal with the present out-migration phenomenon and current global food crises which is likely to bring focus of the world economy to agriculture as there is a growing realization that local and indigenous farming practices are integral to sustainable agricultural output.
On devolution and local bodies, the study pinpoints that the local councilors be used to play a role in land disputes or for ensuring equitable distribution of inheritance and minimizing fraudulent methods of land capture.
Regarding agricultural labor, the study underscores that the agricultural work should be brought into the fold of formal economy so it could be regulated and workers could be protected. Women’s contribution would thus be recognized and valued, and the multiple issues of agricultural labor could be addressed more effectively, it further adds.
