Topic: Land Rights through the Lens of Gender: A Case Study of Rana Tharu in Uttarakhand
Abstracts
The land is one of the most significant assets which determine the social status and economic prosperity in the community. The bond between the land and community developed a sense of land possession which is manifested in an emotional way associated with clan, kin and community. Hence land in the discipline of anthropology is seen as an indigenous perception of territoriality and communal ownership. In the tribal community, the land is not sold rather it is inherited from one generation to another. The present article talks about the land rights through the lens of gender illustrating the case studies from Rana Tharu in Uttararkhand. The relationship between the land and gender has been focused by underscoring the role of gender concerning asset holding and the inheritance pattern of land. The various aspects such as land allocation to women, the female-headed households and challenges faced by women in access to land are explored in the article.