Maharashtra Consultation Reveals Disparities in Women's Land Rights
A recent legal consultation in Mumbai underscores the challenges women face in enforcing land ownership rights despite existing laws.
80% of rural women in Maharashtra work in agriculture, yet only 20% hold land in their name.
The National Commission for Women emphasizes the gap between legal rights and actual enforcement.
The consultation aimed to address issues related to inheritance and succession laws affecting women and senior citizens.
A legal consultation held in Mumbai on October 7, 2026, has brought to light significant disparities in women's legal rights regarding land ownership. Organized by the National Commission for Women (NCW), the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW), and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), the event focused on the enforcement of laws designed to protect the rights of women and senior citizens.
Despite the existence of laws that theoretically support women's rights, many women, particularly in rural areas, struggle to assert these rights in practice. The consultation revealed that while 82% of rural women in Maharashtra are engaged in agriculture, only 20% of farm holdings are registered in their names. This stark contrast raises questions about the effectiveness of current legal frameworks in empowering women.
The 2025 Periodic Labour Force Survey highlighted the significant role of women in agriculture, indicating that they contribute substantially to the rural workforce. However, the lack of land ownership severely limits their economic independence and security. The NCW and other stakeholders at the consultation discussed the need for reforms to ensure that laws not only exist but are also accessible and enforceable for those they are intended to protect.
The implications of these findings are profound, as they point to a systemic issue within Maharashtra's legal and agricultural frameworks. The inability of women to claim ownership of land not only affects their livelihoods but also perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality. Addressing these gaps is crucial for the overall empowerment of women in the state and for achieving gender equity in land ownership.
Looking ahead, the NCW and MSCW plan to collaborate on initiatives aimed at reforming inheritance and succession laws to better serve the needs of women and senior citizens. Future consultations and workshops are expected to be organized to further engage stakeholders and develop actionable strategies to bridge the gap between legal rights and actual land ownership.
