The initiative for state land distribution among landless women peasants of Sindh is a great idea. But due to control of landlords over government affairs and legislation, the scheme has failed to make a difference in the lives of rural women.

This was highlighted by the affected women during a first-ever ‘land hearing’ organised by OXFAM and SAFWCO in backward district of Umerkot. The event was held in connection with International Women’s Day that falls on March 7.

Peasants demanded establishment of Hari Courts to settle land disputes. The women, most of whom had cases filed against the landlords for ownership of land allotted to them, shared their problems related to litigation, lack of ‘input’ support and shortage of water. In many successful land cases, they lamented that flood had ruined their livelihood means, crops and dreams.

During this Tamsilee adalat (symbolic court) of civil society, the jury heard cases of about 150 hari women who had been granted land under the government’s land distribution programme. The symbolic jury comprised of former Senator Taj Haider and peasants leader Punhal Saryo.

Hearing was attended by more than 200 women peasants (who were granted land), civil society leaders, district administration, revenue department officials and concerned citizens.

The land hearing event is part of long-term development programme under the Land Rights and Economic Opportunities umbrella as well as one of the major objectives of EJ Campaign Operational Plan in Pakistan.

The target audience and communities will be involved to constitute core district groups of farmers to put pressure on the duty-bearers for better land governance.

The campaign strategy will ensure civil society involvement in monitoring of state land distribution to build pressure on national and provincial governments for productive, state land distribution for landless local rural communities, especially women.

Objectives of land hearing at district and provincial level are to provide space for women land grantees to highlight their issues and initiate the process for providing justice to the women land grantees; and facilitate rural women living in poverty to help to gain access and control over land.

During the hearing, women demanded that the government of Sindh should start the third phase of distributing land to landless hari women The land governance system needs to be made truly accountable and transparent for which a complaint mechanism and redressal system needs to be developed to resolve land disputes.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh PPP general secretary Taj Haider stressed that land reforms were necessary for socio-economic development. To empower peasants, the provincial government had begun direct distribution of land (16 acres to each peasant).

Jury member Punhal Saryo said discriminatory laws, underpinned by social structures which perpetuate unequal power relations between men and women, severely hinder the women from attaining their rights.

SAFWCO chief Suleman Abro said the fact that women were identified as primary beneficiaries for land distribution was an important breakthrough. He demanded that the government begin the third phase of land distribution to women peasants, declaring his resolve to hold another land hearing on the national level.