Rural women face rising violence, discrimination over land rights: Seminar

Land is becoming a battleground for rural women in the country, with violence, economic abuse and threats forcing many to fight for their basic rights, speakers said at a rights seminar on Thursday.

A new study presented at the national seminar in the capital found that 72 per cent (PC) of women surveyed had faced land-related disputes or violence, while 56pc had experienced physical, mental or economic abuse.

The crisis is particularly severe in haor, hill, char and coastal areas, where complicated land procedures, high legal costs and male control over property leave many affected women unable to seek justice. Only 20pc of women facing land-related problems were able to file cases in court, while 80 per cent failed to seek justice because of legal costs and complex procedures.

Speakers at the seminar strongly condemned violence and deprivation faced by women, saying women in rural and hilly areas are facing violence, economic losses and threats to their land rights amid social inequality, complicated land procedures and male control over property.

The study, covering four regions-haor, hill, char and coastal areas-revealed the extent of the challenges faced by women in securing and protecting their land rights.

The seminar was organised by the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD).

According to the study, 72pc of women face land-related disputes or violence, while about 56pc face physical, mental or economic abuse. Among them, 89pc face severe mental abuse, 78pc suffer economic losses and 30pc face threats to their physical safety.

The findings also showed that only 20pc of affected women were able to file cases in court, while the remaining 80pc could not seek legal remedies due to high legal costs and complicated procedures.

ALRD Executive Director Shamsul Huda said, "Women make up more than 58 per cent of those working in agriculture, but have no formal recognition as farmers."

He called for farmer cards for all women farmers and the resumption of khas land distribution for genuinely landless women.

Rani Yan Yan, adviser to the Chakma Circle Chief, said, "Violence against indigenous women is also used to push communities off their land in the Chittagong Hill Tracts." A culture of impunity still exists in the region, she added.

The speakers called for simpler land registration and mutation procedures, women-friendly land offices, faster settlement of land disputes and greater representation of indigenous women in land commissions.

ALRD Chair Khushi Kabir said the struggle of grassroots women was part of the wider movement for social justice. She expressed hope that the recommendations made at the seminar would contribute to shaping future policies and advocacy efforts.