In a largely agrarian economy such as India, agricultural land is a critical productive asset and source of livelihood for rural poor and women in particular. Women are yet to enjoy land ownership rights. Land ownership also adds to women’s status, dignity, self-worth and several studies have pointed to lower incidence of domestic violence among asset holding (land & housing) women. Women’s independent rights to land and control have not only contributed to the food security of their households but also improve child nutrition, health and education.

This paper documents the legal actions and interventions along with advocacy efforts and strategies by NGOs in Gujarat on various issues affecting poor, including the issues that affect lives of poor; the advocacy efforts aiming at bringing about changes in or to influence existing government policy or law. It describes creative, sustainable and relevant approaches and strategies by the NGOs based on social, political analysis of ground reality. It captures the perspective and worldviews of the stakeholders as well as vision, mission, functioning and accomplishments of the selected NGOs working in Gujarat.

This paper is actually a section of a larger study “The Condition of Poverty in Gujarat: Looking Back & Ahead”, IDPAD, coordinated by Prof Ghanshyam Shah.

Although Muslims in India form a single religious community sharing basic Islamic precepts, it is not a uniform, monolithic community in India. In reality, it is differentiated into various groups and sub-groups along ethnic, social and cultural lines and has remained diversified, fragmented and as caste-ridden as any other community in India. Most of the Indian Muslims face dilemma as religious minority who has to deal with three colliding ideologies and system of governance, namely, Islamic identity and state, Indian nation-state, and the agenda of Hindu nationalism.

Of total 4,635 communities in India, there are 471 untouchable communities (16% to total population of India) is socially placed at the bottom of the pyramid under caste system, a distinct feature of Indian society. The untouchables are treated as ‘impure’ and ‘polluting’ by birth, based on their traditional occupation in caste system as social structure and sanctioned under religion based (Hindu) norms and practices.

This special report is based on a study on ‘Living Condition of Salt Workers in Kachchh District’ in 1999; post super cyclone Gulf of Kutch, the Arabian Sea. About 20,000 salt workers lost their lives in the cyclone when they were working on sea shore. It is estimated that about one lakh (100,000) salt workers including salt making and allied industries are working in Kachchh district for 80% salt production of India. Various reasons and vested interest are the cause of prevalent sub-human conditions due to vicious cycle of indebtedness of salt workers, neglect of duties by the state, polluting companies and their indifference to the workers and absence of institutional support to the salt workers.

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Lobo Lancy and Shashikumar, 2009, Land acquisition, Displacement and Resettlement in Gujarat 1947-2004, New Delhi: Sage publications

Published by Down To Earth, Issue June 15, 2009