Social Justice & Human Rights
BRIF addresses issues related to good governance,
transparency in local government, social justice and human rights. We support
and advise rural underprivileged people (particularly women) on legal matters
such as dowry, divorce and culturally complex family affairs. Other social
inequalities are addressed through advocacy, legal education, legal aid and
other support services. Awareness of women and child trafficking and child
labour has been raised through community discussion, educational leaflets and
posters.
Land Rights: Bangladesh's economy is reliant on its land, having a higher percentage of land used for cultivation than any country in the world. There are currently 57% of Bangladesh's population (Samata) who own no or less than 50 decimals of land (rendering them functionally landless), and that number is increasing. Given the lack of adequate earning opportunities for the landless, it is they who are the most exposed to poverty and hardship, facing the greatest barriers to self-reliance. Rural people are the most vulnerable to landlessness' worst effects, as they are reliant on the land for income, food and security. However, 4.2 million acres of land is currently under state ownership (khas land), and is potentially available to be claimed for cultivation by those with no land. In practice, the vast majority of landless people are unaware that they are eligible to make a claim, while establishing rights over the khas land is a complex process open to conflict and corruption. Flaws in the land administration system also significantly contribute to violent land-based disputes. Women who are divorced or widowed are further exposed to exploitation of their land rights by their husband's family, and in many cases are left destitute when unable to assert their rights. Similarly, there are many cases where sons do not allow their sisters to inherit their legal share of land after the death of their father. As long as the number of landless continues to grow, Bangladesh's economy will remain fragile and the majority of its people will remain in poverty.
Land Rights: Bangladesh's economy is reliant on its land, having a higher percentage of land used for cultivation than any country in the world. There are currently 57% of Bangladesh's population (Samata) who own no or less than 50 decimals of land (rendering them functionally landless), and that number is increasing. Given the lack of adequate earning opportunities for the landless, it is they who are the most exposed to poverty and hardship, facing the greatest barriers to self-reliance. Rural people are the most vulnerable to landlessness' worst effects, as they are reliant on the land for income, food and security. However, 4.2 million acres of land is currently under state ownership (khas land), and is potentially available to be claimed for cultivation by those with no land. In practice, the vast majority of landless people are unaware that they are eligible to make a claim, while establishing rights over the khas land is a complex process open to conflict and corruption. Flaws in the land administration system also significantly contribute to violent land-based disputes. Women who are divorced or widowed are further exposed to exploitation of their land rights by their husband's family, and in many cases are left destitute when unable to assert their rights. Similarly, there are many cases where sons do not allow their sisters to inherit their legal share of land after the death of their father. As long as the number of landless continues to grow, Bangladesh's economy will remain fragile and the majority of its people will remain in poverty.
Land and Agrarian Network for Development (LAND) Project: The LAND project was set up in June 2004 with assistance from Samata and the UK Department for International Development, to assist rural people with the process of claiming land. The Land team raises awareness among the landless poor of their right to khas land, and helps them through the land administration system. Support from the project gives beneficiaries the power and the contacts to mobilize their claim, while the team liaises with local authorities to identify the land available and co-ordinate the process. They are on hand to help beneficiaries who have low levels of literacy in filling out the forms, to negotiate on their behalf with officials, and to mediate community conflicts. The project also lobbies local government about the issues of the landless poor and advocates the rights of those without land to give them more legal support. The team particularly works with women who have been exploited by their families, raising awareness within the community of women's right to land, and supporting those affected in asserting their rights.
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