Learning from India Social Forum to Strategize for Work Ahead. From ISF to WSF and Beyond

More than 94 CWLR members debated and lobbied for strategies to increase resource rights for women during India Social Forum from November 6 till November 16 in Delhi, India. The process began with planning sessions in Jharkhand and Bhopal. CWLR delegates were present at the India Social Forum and only half of them were supported by the Secretariat to participate in the process. We thank Action Aid for the support towards meeting costs for this initiative and IGSSS for its support. CWLR delegates not only raised the issue with movement representatives and got a go ahead from them on the strategies but also posed the solutions emerging from the discussion with representatives of the government. The record of each meeting and gains are provided in this report.

Gains: 1. CWLR members reach out to movement representatives for mutual solidarity. 2. During follow up lobby work with government CWLR was recognized by Government as a serious forum that brings directives for their attention. Refering to the letters from CWLR that have been sent to the Ministry for action an officer said. “If we were asked what action we took on these letters we have no answer. So it is also in our own interest to agree with you first steps of collaboration.” 3. Member planning Commission Dr. Hameed agreed to give another opportunity to CWLR and others to discuss the option of creating women residential and economic zones. This can find mention in the 11th five year plan. A note has been drafted to be sent to the planning commission to get another civil society window at planning commission.

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Analysis of India Social Forum Experience for CWLR CWLR organised five events at the ISF these were on land rights of Muslim Women, Tribal women, Urban poor, Women and Agriculture and Afro Asian Solidarity. At each event links were made with partners other than the earlier CWLR contacts. CWLR thus was successful in mobilizing a critical mass on theme based work. The consultations during ISF were then recorded into lobby letters and CWLR members got appointments with different Ministries to reassert government action for women resource right agenda. Event reports are attached as well as letters to ministries. The preparation: CWLR secretariat approached the WSF organizers for space at events organized by ISF. The first request was made with the representative of ISF who was mobilizing participation at ISF. He was invited to CWLR meeting for tribal women in Ranchi Jharkhand in August 2006. The request for space at ISF organized events was not entertained as each one should organize their own events. The preparatory meetings were closely followed and meetings identified to impact through constructive participation These were the The morning conference of Land water and forest Afro Asian Solidarity Event and Impact of neo liberal globalization on livelihood and survival. CWLR wrote to group leaders to have an opening to speak about the women resource right agenda in urban and rural areas as a solution to increase the shrinking spaces marginalized people are left with today. The movement leaders were asked to prepare responses on the call for a women resource right agenda. CWLR stated to them that WSF platform will be used to appeal to civil society leaders to share and strengthen their existing work to develop leadership among women workers within their own movement by offering management of resources to women as well. Even though the groups has women in them the reply to our queries were done by male representatives. Alas there were no male leaders whose heart we could touch to create this space for CWLR. We were to organize our own events and invite our own audience for the speaking we needed to do. The learning from this was that as CWLR we need to pay attention to be in relationships with the leaders to get them to collaborate. A gain was that these emails led us to be included in the group that was to organize the Afro Asia event. Some session facilitators did get back to say that they have too many speakers to accommodate and they are taking gender equity as a part of their struggle so they need to be talking about this aspect at WSF event. The over all notes from the events we had targeted however did not reflect the gender equity angle. The existing coalition politics played its own role. CWLR has not developed a politics of its own as yet. We are still

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waiting to evolve a different women lead politics of collaboration and partnerships.This plotics may be of sharing and cooperation and of peace building. These dreams are nothing new but the politics and ideology of equity between men women and children will grow at its own pace in the near future. Meanwhile the NGO and movement imperialism was a factor that came to notice of some of us at the India social forum. The established organizations and movements were able to mobilize resources to get crowds in large numbers. They had skills to manage the multitude and efficiency to get people to speak within a time bound slots. Not that events organized by CWLR did not pull crowds. Our experience so far we understood that audience has to be captive for your event and that one has to plan. We planned to fill our events from our own invitees. Yet many new faces did turn up during each of our events. CWLR participants attended sessions as well. Getting trained to be articulate This report puts on record the appreciation of OWSA trainers who trained each thematic group to present ideas with clarity. At the one day training session on 8th of November participants could hear other speak about the context of their work to understand linkages

Dr. Rose Kerketta “ I had never heard issues around Muslim women and property rights. The problems are similar top those faced by tribal women.” The articulations of the issues for the women in unorganized sector in the urban context were put very well by Hemlata. However the field level activists who were voicing the recommendations for the first time did not sound convincing to the audience without the backdrop being provided by the more articulate urban women. CWLR membership needs to go through different levels of training to internalize linkages of different issues to express conceptual depth for clear message delivery that reflects a political clarity. The preparation of ISF included connecting with dalit groups who organized their own events but raised issues around women and land clearly at their individual events. CWLR was able to address dalit groups prior to WSF at an event organised by Pairvi at GPF on November 6, 2006 to build this agenda for dalit women to raise issues with their leadership. The fact that different groups were motivated to independently register events worked for building commitment for taking on a new agenda. The acceptance of WRAG to register the Muslim event is one such example. The collaboration with Gorakhpur

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Environment Action Group led to a successful event on women and Agriculture. The discussions from this group were then taken up with the Ministry of Agriculture for Pilot awareness camps in two chosen districts. Similarly the Recommendations discussed at tribal women’s land rights session organized by GLRF recommendations were taken both to Panchayati Raj Minster as well as Tribal Ministry. The discussions at the urban event were placed before Secretary Urban Development. (See letters and notes). The maximum gain for CWLR was knowing different members by working together. CWLR members were a part of the organizing group of the ISF Afro Asian Event. Joy was able to get speaking time at the event even though it was initially denied due to large number of participants. Thus ISF definitely increased the influence ambit for CWLR members. However as CWLR we could not participate in many other events as mobilizing and organizing events at the ISF required extra energy and time. It was more important to participate sessions that were interlinked to the issues. This strategy did work at the Calcutta women’s conference where CWLR members attended different sessions to influence the outcome of discussion rather than speaking to the already converted. More imagination and strategy was required to gain attention of the movement leaders we were targeting. In terms of achievement we got the attention and presence of NAPM and other movements. Ms Medha Patkar joined the urban session and gave comments also on tribal brochure. We engaged into longer discussions with Ms Indrani Majumdar of CWDS and Dr. Vandana Shiva.

The housing and land issue was re endorsed by Mr. Miloon Kothari who pledged his support and agreed to join forces to work together at the WSF Nairobi events. The work force unorganized sector workers helped in setting up the events as a part of their own agenda building. Reconnection with workers from National Forest Forum was made to open doors to listen to what was being discussed. Ekta Parishad events had strong participation from women. They too participated in CWLR events. CWLR has requested

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participation of Ekta Parishad Representative to join CWLR group for ten day period at WSF. Similarly we will have leaders from among the community from Tribal, Muslim and unorganized sector workers movements. Participation for WSF At the WSF the delegation from CWLR should be able to reach out to land right movements and engage with also those who do not think land and resources. To build on the gain made at ISF , CWLR members should ask those already traveling for WSF to speak of CWLR and women and land in which ever context they speak at WSF events. CWLR delegation members were nominated at a meeting organized on 13 November at IGSSS. This was done on the basis of skill set that include : Knowledge of the issue, being articulate and having the conviction and ability to express key recommendations agreed through CWLR process. This presupposes a need of CWLR that the participant identifies with the CWLR vision and agrees to develop state or national chapters. The delegate should also be functional for lobbying civil society leadership as well as UN agencies at the forum in Nairobi and understand that this work will continue on their return to the local area. The names nominated were:

India: Kalyani Mena, Siddamma, Shivani, Sabiha, Seema Outside India: Joy (Nigeria), Jagat (Nepal), Aijamal (Khirgistan), Kushi Kabir (Bangladesh), Potahar (Pakistan) Others incase more funding can be raised: Noorjahan, Rose Kerketta, Naz Raza, WGWLO. Finances to arrange stay for exposure for eight CWLR members from Africa will be resourced by the secretariat.

Joy from Nigeria will coordinate the WSF participation for CWLR as well as the exposure program. During her visit to India she has already made contact with WSF women and land constituents. She has organized through Action Aid support that CWLR gets to be hosted by Kenya Land Alliance both for WSF as well as for the exposure program. Connected to the ISF lobby process the following meetings took place. Reports from

these meetings as attached with this document for record

1. Meeting with Secretary Panchayati Raj on November 13, 2006 2. Meeting with Minister Panchayati Raj o November 14, 2006 3. Meeting with Secretary Ministry of Tribal Affairs on November 15, 2006 4. Meeting with Secretary Ministry of Urban Development November 15, 2006 5. Meeting with Jt Secretary Ministry of Agriculture November 15,2006. 6. Meeting with National Commission for Women November 16,2006 7. Meeting with S. Hameed National Planning Commission, November 16, 2006 in

Ahemdabad at a meeting organized by WGWLO.

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Annex Session on Muslim Women’s Land, Resource and Matrimonial Rights At India Social Forum, Nov 10, 2006 Organised by: Consult for Women and Land Rights Women Research and Action Group Objective: To discuss the issues and concerns of Muslim women in relation to their land, resources and matrimonial right with special emphasis on the amendment Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act 1937. The application of this act in the country devoid the Muslim women from their basic rights otherwise provided to them in Shariat. One of the basic demand is to amend this act for ensuring daughter’s share even in the agricultural land belonging to the father. Focus:

Discuss the provision and limitation of this act in respect of land and matrimonial rights of Muslim women

How to facilitate the linkage of their land and matrimonial rights to other resources and their access.

How to provide more public space for women at different levels for pressure building at mass scale.

How to demystify the fact about the property inheritance for Muslim women Lobbying to make personal law more gender just Preparation for representing the issue at World Social Forum, Nairobi, Kenya

After a general introduction to the core agenda by moderator Sabiha Hussain (CWDS) and the process of CWLR’ s intervention in Muslim women’s land rights by Naaz Raza (Bahin) the forum was thrown open for the panelist to shed light on the issue from different contemporary perspectives. Ms.Noorjehan Safia Niaz form Women Research and Action Group (WRAG) emphasized on the link of matrimonial laws with property rights. According to her, a change is needed in the comprehensive law which would address land, livelihood and matrimonial issues in Muslim women. This process towards change is initiated at ISF by demanding the amendment in Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act 1937. Similarly reforms are required in nikahnaama, right of single women/widow/divorcee to shelter, land and livelihood. It is important to delink the property rights of Muslim women with dowry or meher as both exists in different framework in relation to their rights. Dr.Naseem Iktedar, the only women member in the executive committee of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) presented the boards approach to women and land rights. She started her presentation with a logical statement to explain the reason why the daughter only inherits 1/3rd of father’s property by saying that after marriage she

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also gets 1\8th share in husband’s property and meher. This statement was counter argued by many participants. She further shared in the forum that the Personal Law board has put persistent efforts in enforcing the amendment in 1937’ Act since 1975. In the Kanpur Convention of the Board in 2004, an appeal was submitted to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh to do the amendment in State list. There has been no satisfactory response from the government so far. The application is still in process. Dr.Qudsiya Anjum from Parcham (Saharanpur) discussed the issue from the perspective of livelihood and migration in Muslim families. According to her the efforts of ensuring land and resource rights should not be limited to inheritance right but should be extended to share in government schemes for livelihood. One needs to create awareness in the community about the existing schemes and how they can benefit from it? Decentralization of information is required for this purpose. She also talked about the question of availability and access of the resources for Muslim women particularly about the specification of pattas (lease) for Muslim women as it is done in case of Dalit women. Mr.Asgar Ali Engineer, a prominent Muslim scholar shared his extensive knowledge on the issue in the light of Quran. Keeping the book as a reference point for all the laws guiding Muslims across the world he said that in place where Quran talks separately of men and women , there is more mention of rights of Muslim women and duties of Muslim men. This means in light of Quran, the Muslim women has full right on maintenance and income earned by her. Islam also gives due right to women in inheritance. The Quran emphasizes on four core values i.e. Insaaf (justice), ehsaan (favor), rehem (compassion) and Ilma (wisdom). If we all follow all these core values then the women will get their rights automatically and there would be no chaos. It is a fact that Quran has provided independence and right to women in all aspects. It clearly talks of daughter’s right to 1/3rd property irrespective of being movable or immovable and agricultural land is not an exception. So, the government should provide them what Shariat has given those 1400years ago. After the panelist presentations the forum was left open to discussion. Many questions and queries were raised by the participants on issues ranging from property rights of single/widow/divorcedMuslim women to the practices against Islam like triple divorce. In the concluding section a brief discussion on preparation of World Social Forum was done. The following suggestions came out from the session:

Lobbying and advocacy at large level prior to WSF Alliance building and networking with more organizations working on Muslim

women’s rights. A study on the access of Muslim women to property and resources Nomination criteria for the women who will represent the issue at WSF.

The session was also attended by some organizations from Bangladesh and Nepal who threw light on the contemporary situation of Muslim women’s access to land and resources in their country.

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Session on Women's Space in City Master Plan India Social Forum, November 12, 2006 Organized By: Consult for Women and Land rights (CWLR) Objective: To work towards ensuring ownership of women on residential and commercial space allotted in city development plans. The aim of this session was to develop public opinion on strategies to achieve the above. Focus:

• Demand this resource and space from government as a justifiable right. • Agree on the form and structure of such spaces that fulfill women's resource

right agenda. • Discuss the stakeholders and responsibility sharing at different levels. • Seeking responses from unorganized sectors women, farmers, adivasis for

input to the proposed agenda

Shivani Bhardwaj, Convenor, CWLR, provided the background of the meetings held where the demand for women's space in urban master plan were agreed upon. The evictions and displacement of the workers in the urban areas left many wondering how workers demands on reserving 25% space in residential zones could be re asserted. This gets linked with the resource less of women which is an unfulfilled commitment of government under CEDAW art 11, 14 and 15. Ms.Seema Khot laid the framework of the women resource right agenda (WRRA) where through resource mapping women need to identify spaces in their own wards that could be utilized for women resource generation. Emphasizing on the plight of the first generation migrant laborer, she said that women today need one place where they get shelter, information, education, basic services like banking, health and communication. WRRA talks of a one window system where women can access all the resources on which they have right. D.Leena from Sanjha Manch shared the scope and limitations of the city planning especially from the gender perspective. According to her the planning done in cities (with special reference to Delhi) has gender biases. At a time where government is conducting lot of studies and survey on how the city should be planned and developed there is none that is directed towards understanding the basic need of women. The process of making master plan should involve women who are most vulnerable in work place and at home as they face most difficulties. While demanding women ownership zones we need to consider under which program and budget are we asking government to give the land and other resources. Indigenous funds should be used so that loans from multilateral agencies can be avoided for this basic domestic transformation. Sujata Madhok, who was moderating the session, said that every day there is ceilings and demolitions but there is no debate on the issue of evictions of slums and have no notice

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even on evictions,. The reforms are in favor of rich and against poor. At such a time the demand for residential places within the city also comes in resource rights for women. We need to emphasize on this demand. Joy Ngwakwe, CWLR executive member from Nigeria shared the experience of government organizing tap water for women in her area. The women wanted electricity as they could get water from the well. This drove home the point that discussions with local community women must precede any planning and program implementation for them. Hemlata Kansotia from Nirman Mazdoor Panchayat Sangam shared the conditions women construction laborers in Jaipur face. While facilities for hostel may exist for upper middle class women such accommodation and placement is not provide for women workers, This needs to change by having placement and residential services for floating populations as these workers fail to upgrade their skills in the changing economic urban scenario. Training centers that have residential components will help women to plug in as equal contributors to the growing economy Ms Siddamma from Bharathi Trust who has been working for the rights and livelihood of Irula tribe in Tamilnadu discussed the needs and expectations of tribal women from such a concept which ensures them shelter and livelihoods opportunities in city as well as has connections on resource needs in rural areas. Mr.Miloon Kothari, UN Special Rapporteur on Housing offered his full support to the issue. The need is to join this demand for women's right with the human rights issues.

Dr.Jyotsana Chatterjee from Joint Women's Programme India presented the concept of Ajalaa the women owned space with social infrastructure for greater productivity. This concept is designed by Ms Anila Emanuel, a women architect who sees this as a decentralized space in every zone that is owned and managed by women individually, jointly or in groups with four sub zones:

Residential areas that include housing for those women headed households that

work in the zone, short stay for migrant workers or those in distress. Commercial zone: Where women mange social infrastructure as well as enterprises needed to free residents of the area for productive hours away from home, like crèches, old age homes, halfway homes. And other group or individual enterprises that are run in an economy of producer and small scale sellers. This zone will develop as a world class haat where producer and seller can meet to buy natural products from rural and urban small scale production units. Selling in these areas will support the work of small enterprises. Information section: One window cell to about budgets and schemes that can

be availed by the women and the workers. A placement cell for employment opportunities and redress for work regularization. A travel desk to help easy access to places for work and personal travel.

Recreational: Space for wellness, enrichment, entertainment and relaxation

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. Medha Patker of NAPM supported this case of planning but in her opinion planners will need to be the community. The urban and rural development need to be planned by gram sabha in villages and basti sabha in cities in decentralized women led teams as they are more sensitive towards issues of family and community rights. Ms Leelawathi from Women Struggle Committee shared the experience of the tripartite (workers, government and employers) board in Tamilnadu and demanded that women resource right committees be set up to regulate and establish an urban employment guarantee scheme that will be managed by women through this board. To make planning women centric, participation of women needs to increase in planning at all levels. The government should provide resources for resource mapping that can be done by women's groups to identify how spaces for women can be demarcated for use of workers and their communities to provide them the four sub zones for residential and livelihood opportunities. Follow Up Action from the event

14th November 2006 To, Mr. M Ramachandran Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi. Sub: Creating social infrastructure for greater productivity.

Dear Sir,

CWLR is a forum of NGOs and Community Based Organizations for promoting women’s land and resource rights. A number of CWLR partners like Joint women’s program India, Urbanscape India, Women Struggle Committee, Bharathi Trust, Leads and Nirman Majdoor Panchayat Sangam are working to create sustainable cities with participation of women entrepreneurs and workers.

At the India Social Forum at Jawaharlal Lal Nehru Stadium on 12 November, 2006 for Women Space in City Development Plan was discussed and supported by Civil Society for the need for women ownership zone serviced through a one window approach. This zone will be the space for women in city master plan that also undertakes work regularization needs on the basis of a women resource right agenda that your Ministry adopts.

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A note and a presentation are attached for your reference. We will be happy to work toward making this concept into a workable plan that your ministry can promote.

We look forward to a fruitful collaboration on this program and plan.

Warm regards

Shivani Bhardwaj, Dr.Vinay Bhardwaj , Dr.Jyostna Chatterjee and Anila Emmanuel

Presentation to the Secretary Urban Development

The process of increasing greater women’s ownership on housing, land, resources in city development plans was initiated by Consult for Women and Land at World Urban Forum III at Vancouver, June 17-24, 2006 where the Women Resource Right Agenda was shared with civil society and government representatives to build sustainable cities. Women Resource rights Agenda (WRRA) Women’s resource rights are their legal ownership of resources. These are land, housing, assets, and access to livelihood and water. To sustain ownership of resources credit, information, training as well as access to services and amenities are prerequisites. The eight simple steps explain the cascade of work flow: Step 1: Resource Mapping and Training of women and workers groups Step 2: Developing information for projects for women resource zone Step 3: Identifying access to amenities Step 4: Specify and disseminate women’s share in all govt. budgets Step 5: Set up of work regulation cell and women resource right committee Step 6: Ensuring legal ownership and control over resources Step 7: Developing community based social infrastructure Step 8: Enhancing women’s productivity and livelihood security An urban development plan called Ajalaa is suggested for consideration of the government. Ajalaa means earth conceived as a place owned and managed by women to be created in different zones of the city.

To enable this a people-private-public partnership requires government obligation to support community empowerment process. The government will have to provide land, buildings, infrastructure, credit and training. The people will have to ensure the facility is run well and sustains enough revenue to maintain. Thus the community will manage the social infrastructure with government support under the ownership of women.

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The Ajalaa concept has been shared for its feasibility, structure, ownership, and management with NGOs and UN agencies like UNIFEM and UNDP.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Dr. Hameed It was wonderful to hear your views on the issues of women and land rights at Ahemdabad yesterday. The inclusion of the land rights in rural context and in agriculture sector has been heartening. We also must thank you for the mention of women unorganized sector workers as a distinct category. To go in line with the 11th five year plans objective of “Faster and inclusive growth” the adoption of women resource right agenda seems to be a must. However these words are not present in the draft 11th plan document as yet. This could appear both in the chapter on land reform as well as in the chapter on women’s empowerment. Please find attached language as well as specific recommendations for a women resource right agenda in the context of urban development plans. We sincerely hope that given your interest and support these words will find their rightful space in the approach paper. Warm regards Shivani Bhardwaj and R. Geetha

Women Resource Rights in Urban Context

The process of increasing greater women’s ownership on housing, land, resources in city development plans needs to be initiated by inter ministerial coordination committees by adopting a Women Resource Right Agenda. Through this agenda the government will create reserved spaces for workers in city and rural areas by allotting 25% of residential and commercial land under ownership of women workers collectives. For this development plans, development boards, policies need to make provision in the urban and rural development budgets through one window approach. This provision will increase productivity of the area by developing social infrastructure. Provision of social infrastructure managed by women and workers collectives will lead to inclusive growth Women’s resource rights are their legal ownership of resources. These are land, housing, commercial space for local markets, assets, livelihood and water. To sustain ownership of resources credit, information, training as well as access to services and amenities are prerequisites. Women collective will create the social infrastructure services needed by the workers to spend undisturbed hours for production away from their homes. The eight recommendations will weave the different provisions provided for women empowerment in every ward and village in India.

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Recommendation 1. Provision of resource mapping training of women and workers groups under existing programs of ATMA and WCD budgets such that communities proposes the women resource zones 2. Provision of gender resource centre for each ward and village to facilitate women resource right projects to be written and passed for each ward. 3. Sourcing infrastructure to set up amenities needed to increase productivity 4. Developing information capsules on women’s share in all govt. budgets and providing access routes to claim it. 5. Set up of work regulation cell through tripartite boards that are managed by a women resource right committee 6. Set up legal cells to assist transfer of ownership and control over resources by women 7. Set aside budgets for developing community based social infrastructure Applying the recommendation through specific schemes that use existing schemes through one window approach An urban development program called Ajalaa is suggested for consideration of the government. Ajalaa means earth conceived as a place owned and managed by women to be created in each ward.

Ajalaa increases social infrastructure for greater productivity. It provides housing, commercial, enrichment and information facilities for the working class of the ward and includes short stay for the transit workers and those in distress.

To enable this a people-private-public partnership requires government obligation to support community empowerment process without the threat of eviction. The government will have to provide land, buildings, infrastructure, credit and training. The private sector could sponsor portions of the running cost. The people will have to ensure the facility is run well and sustains enough revenue to maintain. Thus the community will manage the social infrastructure with government support under the ownership of women.

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Tribal women’s call for their land and Resource Rights Report of Event held at India Social Forum on 12 November 2006 By CWLR and GLRF members and Associates Objective: The session aimed at a focus on the issues and concerns of tribal women’s access to land and resource rights. The consultation presented a common demand of the tribal women under customary practices and sought support from the government for a tribal women’s resource right agenda both in urban and rural areas. Focus:

1. Experience sharing of the tribal women in respect to land, culture, gender and globalization.

2. Constitutional provisions and the need for amendments in given laws. 3. Recommendations and strategies to take the movement forward.

Tribal songs from Jharkhand and Tamilnadu set the tone of the session that was coordinated by Ms Priyasheela Basera who invited Ms Bitiya Murmu to give the key note. Ms Murmu explained the rights of women over land in relation to culture of the tribal community and transformation being brought by liberalization and privatization that effect women negatively. Women increasingly hear that they have to leave the house owned by the husband. This was not so ten years ago. Sans ownership of resources many women choose to opt working outside their place of origin and often get into the trafficking route. She gave example of increasing tribal women in trafficked networks. She said that at least those customary practices that allow for spaces for women in land and resources need to be written down. Such that women in those tribes can claim property rights and land. She reiterated that tribal women have the same human rights as the tribal men and therefore should get equal treatment to participate in protection and realization of their rights. Dr. Rose Kerketta provided a background on the transformation of tribal society from is community living based on natural resources to that dependent upon the market and its a Patriarchal ways of administering systems.

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Dr. Kalyani Meena from Jharkhand explained about the importance of land and resource in respect to tribal community. Adivasi people are trustees of land and resources and not the owners. But in recent times scenario is changing and instead of community ownership now there is individual ownership and also there is demand for individual ownership with no right of women over land and resources. In recent time this individual ownership transferred from a man to another man, the rehabilitation packages are accepted by men and women are not a part of decisions nor their opinions taken. The forest that was basis and livelihood of family survival and nurtured by tribal women and from this she got the respect has been taken away by the government in the name of development. The government may give land use rights for top soil but the minerals and water below the top soil still belong to government. Mining leases and other leases are leading to alienation of tribal land from the community. Ms. Siddhamma from Tamilnadu explained how liberalization has made impact in the lives of tribal community. Earlier there among the community there was no discrimination example men used to take care of children and even men used to cook and the birth of the girl child was celebrated but now change is visible in the society. Modernization has led to loose tribal identity. There is demand for women ownership on housing and women have secured this ownership in housing through in Tsunami rehabilitation package. The Tamilnadu government has now announced that each land less would get 2 acre land. That this should be given to tribal people under the name of women alone will be a task CWLR and her organization will be in the coming months. Ms. Manju Hembrum of National Women’s Commission said we are fighting for our rights. Adivasi as a word is considered pitiable in our country. Our need t travel to cities make men migrate leaving women to take care f their property who make a living from the meager available resources. She gave an example as how in past land disputes were handled. The Calcutta high court used to give directives through case laws. Women did not participate in the land dispute discourse. Tribal people need to think of ways to generate revenue to sustain their natural habitat she suggested that the corporate houses could be taxed for the use of land. The money collected could be used to fill land and reuse it once the minerals are mined away or the task for that corporate is over. She also suggested that the placement agencies that offer employment to adivasi laborers in different states should be registered and alternatives need to be provided to workers to earn money within the areas of origin. Joy from Nigeria started by giving the example from her country that in our societies daughters are not inheritors. In our state those laws in respect to inheritance needs to be strengthened. In eastern part of Nigeria under customary law women do not have right of inheritance, they can stay with father or husband till they are alive and even though it is the women who work on the land have no access to land rights. If a woman is not married even then they do not have access to land. The only way women can access land is through her male child else the mans family will take over the land. Even a magistrate was disinherited from her inheritance even after being a mother of a Son as she refused to follow the custom of shaving her hair on her husbands death. This shows that even the

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rich and educated women are not spared of being ripped off of their due share if they refute customary practices, while this behavior among men is an accepted phenomenon. Nirmaya from Nepal shared the same experience as the community is also undergoing discrimination and male domination. There are around 2.5 cores of population in Nepal and 51% are women but they are not provided any chance to come ahead. Most women in rural Nepal work for 11 hours per day whereas men work for 7 hours a day. The women’s work is not calculated as income in the family, even though they do not get time for rest. 8.84% of women who own land in Nepal as per survey done in 1998. CSR Nepal is trying to create a movement toward increasing this percentage. Nirmaya concluded her presentation with a slogan that “Women are a part of this world and equal contributors in family and nation. Thus they should not be neglected.” A presentation from Verendra of Ekta Parishad emphasized that people understand that women land rights are important once a dialogue is initiated in the community. After work done in adivasi areas adivasi men have agreed to enter women’s name jointly with men on housing and agriculture land. Speaking from the example of Ekta Mahila Manch experience he said that when women go to occupy land and ask for its regularization there is no violence. Thus Gandhi call for gender equality can be practiced to gain resources without bloodshed. This call first has to be internalized in families and organizations to make difference in the larger social milieu.

The session concluded with Kalyani Mena giving a summary of how to strategize to take the issue forward such that the audience could input to key recommendations.

1. Our rights as full citizen can be fulfilled only when tribal women have written

property rights. For fear of land alienation we should not withhold this right. Another law can then follow that property can not be transferred to non tribal through marriage with non tribal.

2. Women must equally participate in the formulation of the tribal bill and forest

bill.

3. Our main struggle is to retain tribal land that should not be sold away. Thus we should stress on use rights and not have the right to transfer land outside the

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community. The leadership and active participation of women in the larger struggle will help the over all struggle and vision to gain tribal land for tribal people.

4. Regular dialogue with family members within community and women and men

from other community assist in changing perceptions of communities. Therefore consultations and exposures are a must.

5. If customs are not gender equal this needs to change through community

dialogue. This meeting at India Social Forum was a watershed in the history of tribal women’s articulation of their land and resource rights. The Journey for CWLR began with a meeting organized in November 2005 at the UNDP hall.

Since then the issue has been debated and discussed at several small and big meeting at three international events. The demands are clear and inclusive. These can be downloaded from www.cwlr.net. The tribal leadership and the government have no option but to agree to the call for justice and survival of tribal ways of life and values.

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Session on Rights and Interest of Women Farmers in Uttar Pradesh India Social Forum, 12th November, 2006 Organized by: Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG) Consult for Women and Land Rights (CWLR) Objective: The main objective of the programme was to provide space to the women farmers of UP to share their problems and experiences at a national platform and learn from the experiences of other states. About fifty women farmers from different areas of UP showed their concern in response to a survey done by GEAG indicating only 2.6 % ownership of land to women in the state. FOCUS:

Presentation on the data collated from the survey in 5 regions of Uttar Pradesh on women’s access to land and agricultural resources.

Experiences of the five partners of GEAG while collecting and analyzing the data Difficulties faced by women farmers and their demands. Signature campaign for releasing a postal stamp bearing the picture of a women

farmer. Experiences of women farmers in other states (specially Maharashtra)

After a warm welcome note by Mr. Shiraz Wajih from GEAG, the presentation was done on the data collected form the survey on condition of women farmers in Uttar Pradesh. The main issues that came out in the survey were

Women have ownership over very little portion of land (2.9%) Women have very little ownership of agricultural resources (4%) They have little power of decision making in the process of farming They have very less ownership of cattle’s in comparison to their contribution in

rearing and maintaining them. (relation is -.079) Women’s access to information concerning government schemes is very less

(7.6%) These data show that though women contribute more than 60% in the agricultural productivity still their ownership and control over the land and other agricultural resources is negligible. After the presentation the team of GEAG and other partners shared the problems faced by them while conducting the survey in the villages. They said that either the women were reluctant to respond in fear of the possible outcomes of giving any information or had no information even concerning them. Some partners also shared the process of improving the conditions of these farmers and their struggle in doing so. Around 10-12 women farmers then discussed their plight and laid down a common demand of their right on land and resources. The argument forwarded by them was that it is the women who work round the click in home as well as in the fields but still she has no entitlement. The question of security and the power of decision making were very much visible in their demands. They wanted access to land, resources and agricultural tools in

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their own name. In all it was a rare crowed of women who knew the reason for which they were there, what they had to say and how to say it. Ms.Seema Khot, from CWLR later shared her experience of working with women farmers in two regions of Uttar Pradesh i.e Paratpgardh and Gonda. She said that the women in these two regions have done commendable efforts towards generating and owing some agricultural resources, which was not done by any other state till then. The local women in Pratapgardh area were trained to produce good quality manure out of the cow dung in their own homes. This turned out to be their first step towards income-generation. Today these women deliver this manure even to the near by states. According to Seema women should demand their involvement in all the key areas of decision making and implementation of agricultural schemes from applying for the post of village patwari to registering their name as a tiller of land in the form 8(a) of land records. In context of the strategizing the demand of theses women she suggested these three priority areas:

Organization getting organized Information: Making all the relevant information about government schemes and

new agricultural techniques accessible to women farmers Application: Practical application/use of this information.

Later Ms.Samreen Usmani shed a little light on the work of CWLR and its linkage with the women farmers. CWLR is a forum of different organizations working on the issue of Women and Land Rights across the globe. It collates and works towards networking and capacity building of partner NGO’s and friends. Some specific demands of CWLR

Transfer of land in women’s name Participation of the women in decision making and organizational structure related

to land. Demand for women’s resource right centers Women’s share in Gram Sabha Budget

GEAG passed on to everyone the postcard addressed to the President of India requesting him to release a postage stamp with a picture of women farmer to acknowledge the their efforts in agriculture. Hundreds of people signed the postcard and dropped in the letterbox placed by GEAG. There was a great lot of excitement in the women farmers who got the opportunity of sharing their demand and views in between so many people. The session ended up with equal zest and enthusiasm with these women enchanting slogans.

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Follow Up Action from the event

14th November 2006 To, Shri Agarwal Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, 237 Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. Sub: Promoting Women Farmers

Dear Sir,

CWLR is a forum of NGOs and Community Based Organizations for promoting women’s land and resource rights. A number of CWLR partners like Gorakhpur Environment and Action Group, Paryay, Bharati Trust, WOSCA, are working for sustainable agriculture and livelihood with women farmers.

On 12th November 2006, a session was organised to discuss situation of women farmers, their interests and rights, at the India Social Forum, in Delhi. We have to bring to your notice, that though your Ministry has good schemes, and intends to give priority to women farmers, the women are not aware of any schemes like ATMA. Not having land titles, illiteracy, constraints on mobility, lack of access to mass media and Internet make it more difficult for women to avail information and benefits. We request you to look into the following needs,

1. Recognize cultivators (who are mostly women) as beneficiaries of agriculture scheme, and not land ‘owners’, which excludes women. This will help a large majority of women have to depend on farming for survival, but neither have ownership nor pattas. (For example giving Agriculture Mini Kit in the name of women).

2. Simultaneously, insist on inclusion of women’s name in the land titles as eligibility criteria for availing agriculture scheme (from next financial year, or for second benefit, so that they get time to fulfill the criteria).

3. Widely circulate the (Central) government order for giving 40 % of land grants in the name of women, to all the State governments, women’s groups, Gram Panchayats, so that they can demand land in their own names.

4. At least, give favorable treatment to families who have land / patta in women’s name (by extending additional benefits, subsidy, priority, concession in repayment etc.).

5. Systematic information dissemination of MoA’s schemes among women farmers, so that they can avail benefits. We suggest use of mass media, women friendly

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extension material, and conducting village level face to face interactions between Agriculture staff and women to expedite benefits of the schemes.

6. Select and train progressive women farmers to guide other women (like earlier Kisan Mitra). We suggest one such lead woman farmer for every 100 –150 women farmers (within 2 Kms). As incentives they can be given support in kind, agriculture equipment, shed, new seed trials, for vermin-composting etc.

7. Replicate successful group agriculture pilots for women farmers on a larger scale, with support from central government.

8. A separate scheme for boosting production of Panchayat lands taken on lease by women SHGs.

9. Reserve key positions for women in governing structures of Agriculture Producers Cooperatives, Marketing Federations, PACS, etc. Waive legal ownership of land as precondition for membership. So that women are not denied such positions.

CWLR will be happy to extend any support in implementing the above suggestions. We

are aware that it involves working with others like Ministries, especially the revenue,

irrigation, and cooperative. Your initiative in creating interministerial and departmental

coordination will be much appreciated.

Let us together achieve your noble objective of reaching at least 30% budget allocation to

deserving women.

With best regards,

Yours sincerely

Ms Seemantinee Khot, Mr Shriaz Wazih and Ms Shivani Bhardwaj

Minutes of the Meeting with Joint Secretary Agriculture

At Krishi Bhawan, on 14th November, 2006, from 4 to 5 pm

The purpose of the meeting was to emphasize the importance of creating spaces for women farmers in the development and extension schemes of the Agriculture Ministry. A note capturing key suggestions of CWLR was sent prior to the meeting. This note was prepared based on the interaction with women farmers, activists and academicians, who are contemplating on how women farmers’ status can be improved.

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Mr. Jain and Mrs. Suneja gave over an hour for discussions and were very considerate in listening to all the points raised by CWLR delegation. At the beginning of the meeting the Joint secretary asked about CWLR, its members and programs. After briefing and the recent activities, he expressed interest in listening to the deliberations. CWLR’s attempts to lobby for policy changes in favour of women farmers at NPC, ICARRD and India Social Forum got him interested. Ms. Seemantinee Khot then shared the suggestions for increasing outreach of the Agriculture schemes among women.

The following was resolved at the end of the meeting to take forward collaborative steps;

1. It was pointed out that the ordinary women farmers are not aware of the Agriculture schemes and face administrative/ procedural hurdles in availing whatever they know.

The Joint Secretary agreed to give support for information sharing of agriculture schemes, and suggested that CWLR jointly organizes such events in a small number of locations and see if it makes a difference. He pointed out that district level officer in-charge ATMA would be the right level for collaborating. It was decided that

• CWLR would select some districts (4-5) where CWLR partners have a good rapport with women farmers.

• The Extension dept (MoA) will then short list a couple of districts where PDs (ATMA) are competent and committed.

• In these districts Mahila Kisan Goshti will be jointly organized in the near future (Dec or Jan). Apart from information dissemination, actually filing applications, verifying documents required and if possible approval of application should be attempted during these face to face interactions between agriculture officers, women and their families.

• Resources will be made available for this event through ATMA, with resources required for awareness generation material, logistics and travel of some resource persons.

2. The Secretary and the Extension officer agreed the need to sensitize the agriculture / extension officers, and said that an independent process is set in for the same. He informed that larger number of sensitization can be initiated only after 6 months time as the training module is under the process of development. At the same time it would help if

• CWLR gets involved in the ATMA (management / steering ) committees. It was suggested by the Joint Secretary that

• CWLR should nominate women farmers / leaders in ATMA committees at State and district level. This will help sensitizing the decision makers on women farmer’s special needs, and ensuring that the ATMA is reaching out to women. (ITWG is the committee at district level under the program of ATMA) Having more women voices as the decision makers in the planning committee will help.

• If CWLR identifies women Agriculture Graduates in the areas where it has members, every attempt will be made to accommodate them as extension agents. The agriculture dept will give them training and help them set up Agri clinics.

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3. The suggestion of improving image of women as farmers in mass media, by giving more advertisements and using mass media is taken for future consideration. No specific action was planned on this. He opined that if information can be collected from the various state level PDs and the requirements be submitted there for media awareness, agri clinics, etc.

4. Non availability of suitable and low cost hand tools and appropriate technology was appreciated by the Secretary as an important need. He said that the idea to create bank of equipments is excellent and can be worked upon but initially at the chosen districts. These equipments can be provided at lease to the women farmers. And suggested that

• If SHGs federation are coming forward to run equipment bank as suggested by CWLR, they can be given bank loans

• CWLR suggested tools be given on subsidy to SHGs.

• If CWLR partners identify women agriculture graduate they approach Machinery dept for development agriculture tools suitable for women’s physique, was another suggestion appreciated by the Secretary.

5. When it was pointed out that the women’s groups are increasingly taking common land on lease or shared cropping and it requires separate schemes for land development, especially for single women, the Secretary found it as an important suggestion. He encouraged CWLR to draft a scheme and approach the Minister for Agriculture. If CWLR takes up this initiative the Extension dept (Madam Suneja) has promised to give inputs in proposal writing.

6. The other issues discussed, regarding women’s names to be included in land titles, common land to be given to women on lease, getting EGS schemes to develop women’s lands, etc, require inter ministerial dialogue. CWLR requested the MoA to take a lead in this.

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Building Afro-Asia Solidarity Forum held on November 13, 2006 The Afro Asian solidarity event was attended Joy, Siddamma and Seema Khot. Given below is the background paper on the event as well as the report of the event. Towards African-Asian Solidarity – The background note More than fifty years ago, at the Bandung Conference, there was a call for ‘the Birth of a new Asia and new Africa’. People were inspired in the colonies to struggle for national liberation and played a significant role in promoting anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist struggles. While this process itself could not erase differences among diverse aspirations, it brought together a collective to share the pains of peoples’ struggles and to give solidarity. None of these efforts, however, were witnessed in silence by the global hegemonies. Thus, when apartheid was being dismantled and colonies liberated on the one side, the neoliberal ideas were being propelled by neocolonial interests to permeate far and wide into the national mindsets and regional spaces. And a new face and form of economic exploitation has been taking shape in both the continents. Colonialism in its modern dress in Asia and Africa, is in the form of economic control, intellectual control, and actual physical control through militarisation, multi-national agencies and global market networks. It is a skillful and determined enemy and it appears in many guises. It was not surprising that the idea of solidarity got overtaken by the idea of free markets, corporate freedoms, trade agreements and trading blocks. Through skillful maneuvers, multilateral institutions, corporations and state elites have taken full control, over process of extraction and exploitation and even through the hegemonies of knowledge, the responses of the poor to their own economic and other forms of oppression. The liberating potential of solidarity of African and Asian people for the poor and oppressed has not gone beyond deconstruction of colonies, and dismantling of apartheid. It has not changed the substance and basic nature of exclusions, marginalization and homogenization. The project of solidarity remains yet an incomplete one. In this regard, there are many issues of pertinence to reflect on and many questions which form the reason for a quest for renewed vigor of solidarity. Some of the questions which arise are: Whose interests are paramount in developing solidarity and developing consensus (?), How to develop people’s solidarity beyond the bilateral and multi-lateral treaties, or framed another way, how do we foreground the agenda of people centered south south solidarity in the context of contemporary global political scenario? How do people shape and counter shape the “politics of consent” and the ideologies being shaped to keep people divided and excluded? How best can voices of peoples concerns be collective voices? Why the building blocks for south south solidarity are not all in order? Why the nation states and the governments of both the continents are appropriating the space of solidarity and there are hardly attempts to forge the solidarity from the peoples’ perspectives? How do we jointly work towards exposing and countering the conspiratorial politics of Hunger and debt in our countries? How do we evolve a network to facilitate people’s freedom of movements in the context of modern nation-state structures and North-South divide?

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What common measure do we evolve to counter the homogenizing onslaught of the global culture market on the plural and local cultures of the people? And yet save the dignity of the colored races by not reducing their representation to mere exotica? Structure of the panel :Three people from Africa, two people from India and one from rest of Asia.

The event

The meeting commenced with introductory remarks from the facilitator who stated the importance of the forum since the next WSF will be convened in Africa/Kenya... She invited the participant from South Africa to speak . A brief record is given below: South Africa Delegate Afro-Asia issues must first be examined by how people in the region relate with one another. Example, an African traveling to a neighboring African country is often subject to very cumbersome processes of obtaining visas and other immigration requirements. “While I am not advocating a porous system that does not protect nations’ sovereignty, I think the system should be adjusted in such a way that allows people within Africa and Asia to experience one another in a more beneficial way. In addition to the limitations we impose on ourselves, we also contend with neo-liberal economic policies that are unsuitable for development in the region. Rather, we should begin with the process of developing our own development methods and at our own pace and in line with our culture and traditions. Development should not be generally defined by the perceptions and culture of the global north. Countries in Asia and Africa should take the initiative in taking, economic, development, social decisions that are compatible with the region. While considering all of these, gender issues should also be given the necessary attention. I do not have the answers to all the issue raised here, but through our discussion we may come up with solutions that will make a positive impact”. Vietnam Delegate: In line with what the first speaker said, we should begin to appraise the activities of super –world powers as another form of colonization. Recently, the war on terrorism has become a strategy for imposing foreign governments in the global south. We must begin to see America’s war on certain countries as such. Delegate from Afghanistan I propose that events like the India Social Forum should be organized in a manner that encourages participation from people from outside the country. I have never attended this kind of event and I only stumbled unto it on the net and decided to be here. People in Afghanistan don’t know much about movements and activism and the consequences of

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the recent war require that we become involved in these issues. Prior to the war, we did not know anything about aids and we also had no information regarding NGO activities. We will like a situation where information on ISF and similar events are made available to us. Delegate from Kenya Organizing Committee Colonial masters established structures and governments that remain counter productive to global south countries. Idi Amin, for example was installed as the Uganda head of state by the British government. But everyone has forgotten that fact. One of our challenges is that we have retained racial structures that were established by the colonial masters. As such we continue to perpetrate colonialism amongst ourselves. While we seek to change the situation, we must also remember the north in the south and south in the north. Facilitator I just want to briefly respond to your comments on the north within the south. The north within the south does not work in support of the south. In fact they implement the global north agenda Delegate from Nigeria, Joy Ngwakwe I want examine how these structures and polices affect women in our society. Research and social work show that women are worse affected by poverty arising from international economic policies as well as other practices that affect the global south. Traditionally women are denied access to productive resources such as land and property. Although women carry-out the bulk of farm work, they are unable to own lands. I represent the Consult for Women and Land Rights (CWLR) which is an international network of individuals and organization concerned with promoting women’s land, housing and resources. Prior to ISF and at ISF events we have advocated and lobbied the reform of polices and practices that influence women’s status in these areas. We are currently advocating the introduction of a-women’s resource rights agenda in urban development and master city plan in which women’s issues will be given due consideration. Under this agenda, we propose gender-sensitive budget, resource rights centers, health clinics, etc. CWLR is organizing a workshop at the WSF in Kenya. The workshop will aim to promote three main issues; women and land rights, women in urban development and master city plan, Muslim women and land and property rights. I am using this opportunity to demand your support in these issues, to include a gender perspective in your different areas of operation. I am also inviting those of you that will be in Kenya for WSF to join the CWLR event CWLR meeting Nov 13, 2006 at IGSSS, New Delhi

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People Present: Rose Kerketta, Kalyani Mena, PriyaShela Besra, Praveer Peter ( Jharkhand) R Geetha , Leelawathi and Jose ( Women Struggle Committee) CWLR Executive Committee Members : Shivani Bhardwaj(Delhi), Joy Nagwakwe ( Nigeria) Seema Khot( Pune) Siddamma( Chennai) Pravaat Pradan ( Koinjhar), Raj mani ( Jaunpur),Miraj Bano ( Mirzapur) Samreen Usmani, Lalit Mohan, Lalit Mehra and Tanushree Saxena ( Sathi all for partnerships ) Shewli Kumar, Rati ( Delhi), V Mageshwaram and M King ( NMPS). Twenty tribal delegates from Bharthi Trust Objective: Analyze if a CWLR collective identity could vocalize women resource rights issues at the India Social Forum to build a bridge between new partners and movements. Main points discussed Learning from ISF to plan work ahead : ( points mentioned earlier) CWLR manifesto Shewli has circulated a CWLR draft manifesto that has received input from different members. It needs to be more concise vision document. CWLR stand on globalization needs to be mentioned with a specific section on what are we lobbying for at local national and international events. More members need to speak for CWLR and not for their own organization only. At present members are confining themselves to their own long standing issues and thus a resounding commitment to ask for the women resource right agenda holistically is not being heard strong enough.

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It was suggested that State level chapters should be build at local level: The members at this level have to deal and promote all issues (not just their area of work example- tribal, Muslim, agriculture etc. Kalyani Meena said that land rights for women have not become a mass movement in Jharkhand. At present only a few raise it individually. There is need for more discussion on the issue rather than the content. Issues as rural, tribal, agriculture should not be demarcated but concerns need to be clubbed as urban and rural

Praveer Peter suggested that these five issues should be seen individually. The issues exist at micro level and from there they can spread out else it will be difficult to deal. But be collective on each issue as a member of the forum. Shewli Kumar said that tribal issue should be dealt separately as their issues are different in this era of globalization. The need of the hour is to create leadership, building different process while maintaining the localizing of the issue to the marginalized women. Mani stressed that building the movement is important but strength will come from local level and local people need to know the position and work of CWLR. There is need for more awareness program at local level. The work that is done at local level should be taken up by CWLR as there own work. Seema responded that CWLR secretariat can not take the load of local work. This will remain responsibility of partners. Pravat clarified that local or state unit need support in terms of linkage to fulfill this responsibility. Support from secretariat was expected. On this Kalyani Mena commented that work is not fund oriented but need oriented. In Jharkhand the issue of tribal women’s right was taken up long time back and was not fund oriented. The need of the issue helps the survival of debates and resolution of problems associated with the issue. In conclusion the CWLR partners can raise money for their local or state level work from their own organization registration but secretariat needs to be informed and updated when they take on activities linked to the issues. Strategy:

1. Claim on budget together - 92% on national fund and on land too.

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2. More inclusive approach to include dalit groups 3. Local CWLR members take up the issue that can help building it at that state

level. (else we just concentrate on 2-3 states) 4. Leadership building of women for women and land rights (identify and

collaborate with local level activists. 5. Land should be transferred in the names of women 6. Leaflets needs to be prepared to highlight our programs 7. Members to monitor if gender components of their budget are used at local and

state level. 8. The Joint Parliamentary Committee needs to be sent a letter for the bill; CWLR

needs to lobby for this. 9. CEDAR will propose a research program to be undertaken in Nigeria and India. 10. Public hearing of the cases should come. Proactive stands and direct interventions 11. In indigenous budget women’s share be mentioned. 12. Linking with international women forums on the issues should continue.

Funding and CWLR: Funding from bilateral agencies and corporation were discussed to gauge the ideological framework of people present. The members agreed that funds should not be raised using CWLR name. CWLR name can be used for joint events and consultation that are clearly funded for the purpose of such meeting or lobby initiative or training. If individual organizations raise resources for their other needs like Cancer support or mental disability or income generation through corporate social responsibility that need not be taken as CWLR activity. CWLR could however try to create a consortium to pool resources for work like the PACS program. CWLR secretariat and Executive members could organize a multi-donor meeting such that all CWLR members could put forward a long term program for 5 yrs work that includes research, fact finding and documentation of process at different levels.

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