Regaining access to the land for tribal people

"Now we are united and aware about our rights and no one can fool us" Gaura Devi, SHG member, India.

Adivasi (tribal) people in India depend on the forest for their way of life and livelihood. However, for decades their rights to forest land and other resources have been denied to them.

Thanks to lobbying efforts from our partners and other groups, in 2006 the Indian government passed vital legislation concerning the rights of forest dwelling communities to land and other resources.

This represented a fundamental shift forward from previous legislation, in which adivasis had been regarded as “encroachers” on their own land.

Clearing the route to a better future

Adivasis struggle to regain access to the land is not over however. In the state of Uttarakhand the Act was blocked by the forestry department and timber companies.

For the past two years FYF has been working with BHOOMI, a network of four local NGOs in Uttarakhand to empower 2,500 adivasis, particularly women, to understand and access their rights, influence government policy and its implementation, access government services and regain customary rights to access and manage the forests.

In response to the failure of the Uttarakhand state government to implement the Forest Rights Act 2006 BHOOMI collaborated with other national and international NGOs working in Uttarakhand.

Together they organised rallies, press conferences and meetings with government on the issue of tribal forest rights.

As a result the State government of Uttarakhand declared on 24th November 2008 that it would implement the Act. This will mean that adivasis can begin to struggle to access to the land on which their culture and livelihood depends.

What happens now?

In order to ensure that this promise becomes a reality BHOOMI will support the formation of special monitoring committees at community, area and district level.

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