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Gender Checklist: resettlement
Gender Issues in Resettlement
Lack of landownership and property rights denies women equal access
to compensation. In most projects, compensation, resettlement, and
rehabilitation are based on legal ownership of land and property. In many societies,
women may not have legal rights to land and property, even though they may have
enjoyed usufructory rights or been dependent on them. Hence, they are not eligible
for compensation and other benefits that may be available.
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Traditionally, in any patriarchal and patrilineal society,
land and property are passed from male head to male heir. In most parts
of Asia and the Pacific, women may have use rights over the land and forest,
but are rarely allowed to inherit the land they use. Payment of compensation
to those with legal title is intrinsically gender biased. Because land
and property are mainly registered in male names, women are usually excluded
from receiving compensation.
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Restoration of livelihood and income is equally important to women and
men. Women are largely engaged in the informal sector—gathering
forest produce, working in the fields, or selling produce. Women’s economic
activities can be an important source of income for households. Dislocation can
result in loss of livelihood, adding to women’s economic hardships. Therefore,
it is important to enumerate women’s economic activities in planning and
executing resettlement programs.
Low levels of training and education among women limit the choice of
alternatives. Rehabilitation packages may include compensation opportunities
for alternative occupations. Choices for exploring alternatives and livelihood
options for women are limited because of their low levels of skills, education,
and exposure. Planning for occupational and livelihood options for women is
crucial.
Existing intrahousehold gender disparities may become aggravated.
Gender disparities that already exist in society and within the family tend to
become aggravated in situations of involuntary displacement, rendering women and
children, especially female children, vulnerable. This may manifest itself in
greater morbidity or violence or fall in nutritional status. Equity in intrahousehold
distribution of resources should not be assumed
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Studies across the world have shown increase in morbidity
and even mortality rates due to involuntary dislocation. Age- specific
death rates show higher mortality and morbidity rates for female children
and of women up to 35 years, the most productive years. Given this, there
is likelihood that if there is increase in morbidity induced by displacement,
the first to be hit will be the females. Similarly, the nutritional and
health status of women is lower than men even under normal circumstances.
Some studies have indicated an overall decrease in health status, often
due to a significant drop in the per capita calorie intake. (Ganguly Thukral
1996)
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Involuntary dislocation could increase the burden on women.
Generally, women are responsible for food, fuel, and fodder in the family. Often,
fuel and fodder can become scarce as a result of negative environmental effects
on natural resources like forest, water, and land. This can have direct impact
on women, because they are responsible for gathering fuel and fodder. Unless
this impact is addressed in resettlement planning and execution, it could result
in women spending more time and resources accessing these basic needs. Also,
loss of grazing areas could result in sale of livestock.
Restricted mobility and limited exposure affect women’s ability
to adjust. Being less mobile than men, women’s universe is more
restricted. Hence, they have limited ability to cope with and adjust to new
situations and environments.
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The impact of dislocation may be different for women than for men. The differen-ces
should be explored and mitigated. |
Social impact of dislocation tends to affect women more than men.
Breakdown of community and other social networks as a direct result of dislocation
can affect women more than men because women rely and depend on community and
other social networks for emotional and practical support, such as taking care
of children. Dislocation can be traumatic if these netwroks break down.
Increase of social evils and violence against women could increase
because of displacement. Alcoholism, prostitution, and gambling resulting
from displacement affect the lives and status of women. Women are sometimes
forced to face new forms of violence, such as sexual abuse and prostitution.
Gender disparities embedded in social practice and tradition render women vulnerable
to sexual and physical violence.
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Case Study
Changing Land Rights in Viet Nam, Lao PDR, and PRC
The change from communal household farming in Viet Nam, Lao People’s
Democratic Republic (PDR), and the People’s Republic of China (PRC)
has seen women lose “right” and control over land and property.
Land continues to be owned by the State in all three countries. Because
laws designated the farm household as the unit for reallocation and registration
of land, the laws have encouraged the creation of independent households.
Although men and women have equal rights to registering land in Viet
Nam and Lao PDR, customary attitudes prevail and land is registered in
the name of men alone as heads of household.
Property rights in the PRC are not absolute. Instead, a combination of
ownership and use rights subject to state policy, and current discriminatory
practices regarding the ownership, acquisition, management, administration,
enjoy-ment and disposition of property impede women’s rights as
human rights and have negative impact on social development.
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Ensuring Participation of Women
- Ensure
representation and presence of women from different socioeconomic groups
in all meetings.
- Ensure that meetings/consultations
are organized at a time when women find it convenient to attend, so
that maximum participation can be ensured.
- Take care to ensure
that the venue for meetings is based on discussions with the women so
they can feel free and uninhibited in their discussions.
- Consider female
facilitators or work through women’s groups or networks—formal
or informal.
- Involve women in
the indemnification of affected persons.
- Consider separate
meetings for women.
- Ensure women’s
involvement in preparation and review of resettlement plans.
- It is important
that women’s associations are vested with authority, both within
their communities and within wider regional and state processes. This
will preempt situations where women are mere tokens in decision-making
processes.
- Ensure women’s
involvement and participation in implementation and monitoring.
- Ensure documentation
of the participatory exercise.
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