1. Claiming and Realizing Right to Land: Can Development Organizations Address the Gender Disparities in Bangladesh?
FERDOUS JAHAN, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
SHARIF WAHAB (Presenter), Ohio University, USA

2. Outline of the Presentation
Introduction of the Research
Women’s (property) right in the context of Bangladesh
BRAC’s Property Rights Initiative (PRI) project
Research Methodology
Findings
Key Takeaways

3. Introduction
Less than 20% of the world's landholders are women (Commission on the Status of the Women, 2012).
Rights are claims that legally & socially recognized and enforceable by an external legitimized authority.
Women’s rights to own land is one of the most critical form of property rights in male dominant context of Bangladesh

4. Women’s Land Rights: Bangladesh Context
Constitutionally men & women have equal rights
However, there is no uniform civil law for family law matters (including inheritance and division of property)
Such matters are determined by personal laws applicable to the religion of the individual (Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, or tribal (Rural Development Institute, 2009)
Historically Women’s right has been a political issue
NGO’s rights based approach has created a space for advocating women’s rights

5. BRAC’s Project on Women’s Land Rights
Property Rights Initiative (PRI) was launched in June The program aims at developing linkages between laws and rights by
helping poor communities identify their entitlement to property rights
supporting them in accessing their claims
The project was implemented in 491 Unions of 54 Upazilas under six Northwest districts

6. PRI’s Activities Awareness Raising & Legal support Skill Development
Yard meeting, Human Rights and Legal Education Classes, Formation of Odhikar Bastabayan Committee
Skill Development
Male and Female Professional surveyors/Land Entrepreneurs (LE)

7. Research Question
How effective development organization's targeted intervention for women in claiming and realizing their right to land in Bangladesh?
Sub-questions:
To what extent human rights based development programs can produce benefits for poor and vulnerable women?
How relevant, effective, sustainable and participatory are such intervention components?
What lessons can be drawn from such development interventions that can lead to further gender sensitive policies and programs by the government and development organizations?

8. Methodology Mixed Method
Quantitative survey included 1200 female respondents selected
Urban & rural dynamics were considered while sampling
Qualitative data was collected through 24 r Key Informant Interviews (KII), 10 Focus Group Discussions (FGD), and 40 case studies

9. Evaluation of service Availability: Utilization Cost
85%of PRI service receivers reported that BRAC male LEs are available in their area. In contrast, only 1.6 percent of the same group were aware of the availability of female BRAC LEs.
Utilization
244 households in the study area used BRAC male LEs
Cost
Of these 244 households, 196 households incurred costs for the service and spent $ 5.91 on average. The average cost of service for Government and Non-government surveyors were $ 8.01 & $ 7.16

10. Role of PRI in enhancing knowledge about Property Rights
The Treatment group performed better compared to control group in answering basic property rights questions
The program’s impact is less straightforward in terms of questions that require advanced level awareness of inheritance laws.

11. Barriers for Claiming & Realizing Property Rights
Lack of interest to go beyond family interest
Forgoing property is a strategy for women
Lack of understanding & information asymmetry
Cost of the process

12. Impacts of PRI Project
The yard meeting are increasing the awareness of women to ask about their share
Land Entrepreneurs (LEs) are playing crucial role beyond their responsibilities
The informed claims from women creating pressure on the male family members
Institutional barriers and cultural orientation are hindering the further advancement

13. Conclusion
In terms of service provision, PRI has proven to be effective
The society is not ready yet to accept women on the supply side (as Land Entrepreneurs)
PRI has been developed the human resource, now it is time to move forward to develop institutional capital
Between the practical and strategic gender needs, the program was able to address the first.

14. Questions? Sharif Wahab