Background

Over the last two years (2022-2024), the Society for Promoting Participative Ecosystem Management (SOPPECOM), in association with Mahila Kisan Adhikar Manch (MAKAAM) has been engaged in an in-depth study on understanding structural violence against women in agriculture in the states of Maharashtra, Telangana and Punjab. The study has benefitted from an earlier exploratory study (2022) done by the Feminist Policy Collective (FPC) and MAKAAM with support from SAHAJ, ANANDI and SOPPECOM.

The study aimed to explore the nature and forms of violence and harassment against women in agriculture, to inform policy and practice. Conducted across eight districts in three states, the study employed a mixed methods approach. Extensive discussions were held with diverse groups of women farmers to shape the research design and develop the questionnaires, with approximately 500 women participating in these discussions. This was followed by a large-scale quantitative study involving around 3,000 women. Additionally, detailed in-depth interviews were conducted with about 60 women from various socio-economic backgrounds, representing different agrarian contexts in the three states. Key informant interviews were also carried out with representatives from civil society organizations, government officials, local gram panchayat officials, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, and others to gain insights into district and village contexts and to understand the key agrarian issues across the states.

The year 2023 also marked the completion of ten years of the law on ‘Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2013’, which provides us with an occasion to discuss the study findings in light of the 2013 Act.

Given this brief background, MAKAAM, FPC, and SOPPECOM approached the Institute of Social Studies Trust (ISST) to collaborate in organizing a National consultation on the subject.

The Consultation will be held on the 22-23 October 2024 at the Juniper Hall at the India Habitat Centre (IHC) in New Delhi.

We hope to invite about 60-65 participants who have been working with women farmers and other unorganized sector women workers.