Climate-resilient management of land & resources: Call to empower rural women to play role

HYDERABAD: On the occasion of the International Day of Rural Women, the Hari Welfare Association (HWA) emphasized the critical role of rural women in building climate resilience through sustainable land and resource management.

The theme for this year, “Rural Women Sustaining Nature for Our Collective Future,” highlights the need to empower rural women to be active agents in climate resilience. HWA, however, lamented the lack of effective support from federal and provincial governments in this regard.

HWA expressed concerns that federal and provincial programmes, such as Bait-ul-Mal, Ehsaas, and BISP, have made rural women dependent on financial aid without equipping them with the skills and resources needed to achieve sustainable livelihoods. “The current approach falls short in enabling rural women to play a leading role in climate-resilient management of land and resources,” said an HWA spokesperson. While acknowledging the Sindh government Benazir Hari Card, which benefits 298,000 registered peasants owning 1-25 acres of land.

Akram Ali Khaskheli, President of HWA, criticized the exclusion of millions of sharecroppers, especially women, from relief programmes. “These sharecroppers, who remain unregistered under the Sindh Tenancy Act of 1955, received no support even after the 2022 floods, despite their crucial role in agriculture,” said Khaskheli.

HWA’s recent report on violence against women in Sindh from January to June 2024 revealed 837 cases, including 174 suspected suicides, 140 abductions, 125 rapes, and other forms of violence. The report highlighted that the lack of enforcement of protective laws, such as the Sindh Women Agriculture Workers Act (SWAWA), has left rural women vulnerable. “Without the enforcement of laws, reporting violence remains difficult, especially in rural areas,” HWA stated.

Jamul Malokhani, General Secretary of the Mai Bakhtawar Hariyani Trade Union, described the plight of rural women in Sindh as akin to modern slavery. Despite the Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act of 2015, many women continue to live in dire conditions without basic rights. President of the union, Heer Malokhani, pointed out that even the release of bonded labourers from landlord control does not prompt government action. “The district vigilance committees, mandated by law, remain inactive,” she added.

HWA criticized the Sindh government for failing to implement the SWAWA, which was passed in December 2019 to recognize women’s contributions to agriculture and guarantee their rights, including equal pay, unionization, and social security. “More than four years later, no board has been appointed, no unions formed, and no grassroots efforts initiated to register women agricultural workers under the Act,” HWA emphasized.

HWA highlighted the social and economic challenges faced by rural women in Sindh, including low literacy rates, limited access to education and health services, and persistent poverty. “Women in districts like Tharparkar, Sanghar, and Mirpurkhas face abject poverty, with over 70 percent working in agriculture but lacking access to basic needs like nutrition and education,” said an HWA spokesperson.

HWA urged federal and provincial authorities to prioritize livelihood programs and social safety nets that empower rural women rather than creating dependency. They called for the allocation of state land to women in rural areas and the full implementation of the SWAWA to ensure equal pay, social security, and rights for women agricultural workers. “Empowerment through education, financial stability, and effective law enforcement is a key to improving the lives of rural women,” HWA stressed.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024