A two-day State-level workshop “Woman and Forest Rights Act” was concluded on Saturday last at CYSD-DRTC organised by city-based NGO Vasundhara in collaboration with other organisations working on Forest Rights Act (FRA).
Around 150 women participants from different districts participated who included members of Forest Rights Committees (FRC), Sub-Divisional level Committee (SDlC) and State level Monitoring Committee (SlMC). Besides, members of different civil society organisations working on FRA too participated.
Welcoming the participants, Sujata S Das shared the objectives of the workshop and presented various provisions of the FRA pertaining to the role of women in the various institutions meant for the implementation of the FRA. Highlighting the various FRA implementation issues in the State, she said that despite the provisions under the act the role of women in FRC, SDlC and DlC is nominal without any active involvement in the decision making process.
Member of Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD) and president, Vasundhara Madhu Sarin, who attended as chief guest, emphasized on the community forest rights (CFR) and asserted that in many parts of the country the CFR process has not been initiated.
Anna Kujur from Athkosis Sangathan, Sundargarh alleged that women members are not called in meetings during claim making, verification, mapping etc and even woman members of SDlCs and DlCs are not aware of their role and responsibility in most of the districts.
Vasavi Kiro, member, Core Committee on land and Woman (NCW formed under National Commission for Woman) and convenor, Jharkhanad Wanadhikar Abhiyan(JAWA) said the women ought to take over the governance of the forest from the Forest Department.
All India Union of Forest Working People (AIUFWP) deputy general secretary Roma emphasized on the community forest rights of woman.
Besides, the issues of non conversion of forest villages into revenue villages, non recognition of Individual Forest Right (IFR) of other traditional forest dwellers, difficulties in possessing 75 years of records to prove rights in case of SCs/OTFDs, recognition over less areas, loopholes in field verification process, non recognition of IFR of the displaced families were raised. The recent selective deregulation of Kendu leaves (Kl) business in Nabarngpur and Malkangiri districts was criticized in the workshop.
Joining the workshop, State Forest and Environment Secretary RK Sharma assured the gatherings that he would take appropriate action to address the issues. Similarly, Raj Kishor Dash from the SC and ST Development department assured to effectively address the problems being faced at different levels of FRA implementation.
The suggestions made during the debate were special women forest resource centre/cell be created at State to deal with issues relating to women and FRA; forest rights and land rights be included in the State Women Policy, special awareness/capacity building programmes need to be initiated for FRC SDlC/DlC members focusing woman, separate monitoring and reporting be made to ensure compliance of provisions in FRA for women etc. lalita Missal of NAWO, Pramilla Swain of FARR, Chandana Das of CWS, Y Giri Rao and Tushar Das of Vasundhara spoke. Bharati Mishra of CWS gave vote of thanks.