Expanding Women’s Land Rights: Can MGNREGA Help?

Abstract

Expanding women’s ownership of land has remained a challenge despite amendment to inheritance laws towards gender equality on account of gender bias, originating from entrenched patriarchy, hereditary customs and sociocultural norms. This may never change without political will and support from executive arms of related government departments, but innovative interventions may help. The article recommends one such measure drawing upon a multi-state evaluation study, wherein type and proportion of works completed on private lands under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) were examined with respect to land ownership of beneficiary household by gender. The study found inequality in terms of both number and type of works completed on land owned by women, which largely may be attributable to comparatively lower proportion of women having land in their name. The article advocates affirmative action with respect to MGNREGA works on private lands, which could be a proactive policy push towards expanding women’s land rights.