1. PASTORALIST WOMEN'S COMMON (MMC)
The program aims to improve the lives of pastoralist women and their communities by giving access to use, manage and regenerate the commons land. They also help by addressing challenges related to limited pastureland, water resources, and recurring droughts in the Kutch regions of Gujarat. It raised awareness about women's rights to common land and provided training to 110 women on grazing land management, leadership, and pastureland development. The resolutions for pastureland development were filed with 10 Panchayats and activities in six villages led to better pasture conditions, benefiting livestock rearing. The program also established two fodder banks for sustainable livestock management and advocated for the inclusion of pastoralist women in policies, strengthening their recognition and opportunities. It strengthened community ties through alliances with WPLMC and MARAG, also engaged with external organisations like FES and used offline mapping for valuable insights. The programme as a whole overcame challenges and opposition with determination.
2. WOMEN AND LAND OWNERSHIP
The main objective of this program is to empower women by granting them individual land ownership. This empowerment will enable them to make independent decisions, enhance their dignity, and give them a sense of power and autonomy. The goal of the programme is to create a strong women's organisation that advocates for their rights and promotes gender equality, while enhancing agricultural productivity and community development through the combined approach of farming and animal husbandry. It coordinated with 10 government departments for project implementation and organised a district-level convention and heritage camp to foster community pride and gender equality dialogue. The programme demonstrated sustainable farming techniques in 10 sessions and was successful in raising awareness on women's land ownership rights in 15 villages, resulting in 120 cases of land inheritance by women and 143 cases benefiting daughters and widows. It was also able to facilitate government scheme benefits for 87 women and initiated a legal clinic for legal assistance and implemented an integrated agro-pastoral model to enhance agricultural productivity and food security. Challenges of drought and uncertain land statuses were addressed, and helped in promoting community well-being and women's empowerment.
3. FOREST RIGHTS ACT
The aim of MARAG's efforts was to secure and protect the forest rights of the Maldhari community, as well as other communities living in forest areas or dependent on forests for their livelihoods. By utilising the Forest Rights Act, MARAG sought to represent and safeguard the rights of these communities, preserving their unique way of life and deep connection with the forest. It was able to advocate for forest rights of Maldhari community, securing 39 claims for forest use and achieved 100% women representation in forest committees in three villages, and 50% in others. The organisation provided crucial documents to support forest rights claims and engaged in discussions for inclusivity while preserving Maldhari community's unique rights. It demonstrated a persistent dedication to advocating for forest rights amidst challenges.