The Amity Institute of Social Sciences (AISS) organized a three-day "Women Parliament" in association with "Initiatives
The event saw over 300 women farmers from Manipur, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh participating in a national-level discussion on issues affecting them.
Chief Guest and Padamashri Dr.Bina Agarwal inaugurated the programme.
Agarwal said that in the Indian agricultural system, women play a significant and crucial role in agricultural development and allied fields, including main crop production and livestock production etc.
She added that rural men migrate to distant places in search of a livelihood, while leaving the burden of agriculture management on their female members.
She said that at least 40 percent of agriculture workers are women.
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Agarwal stressed that despite their importance to agricultural production, women face severe handicaps.
She apprised that women farmers are unaware about their rights and face widespread restrictions on decision making process such as about the basic resource for production, access to productivity-enhancing inputs such as credit, fertilizers, improved seeds and extension and their share in crop selling etc.
She further added that women perform all un-mechanized agricultural tasks and perform multiple tasks, which add to their burden. Dr. Agarwal mentioned that over the time, many changes have occurred in favor of women such as amendment of Hindu Succession Act in 2005 which gives woman a right in the property of joint family in which she is born or is married into.
She urged the participants to spread the awareness about the rights of women.
During the discussion, women raised various questions pertaining farming issues in tribal areas, rights of dalit women farmers, issues in land acquisition bill etc. which were efficiently addressed by Dr. Bina Agarwal.
Emphasizing on the empowerment of women farmers, Dr. Neelavalli said that women farmers are major contributors to the country's agricultural and economic growth, but they are yet to receive their due recognition for the work.
She stressed that the main aim of the programme is to help women gain recognition as farmers so that they own agricultural land and access institutional credit, new technologies and government programs.
Dr. Nirupama Prakash underlined the need to increase the participation of women in decision-making processes to ensure sustainable development.
Women farmers narrated their personal experiences and hardships related to land rights and succession during the programme.
During the second and third day, Business Hours of Women Parliament was conducted wherein women leaders, social workers and academicians participated in the model parliament and debated on the national issues, policies and displayed their competency in policy making.