Women lead the battle in Odishas Nayagarh for forest rights

After a decade of struggle, the women of Odishas Nayagarh district lead the battle for forest rights from the front, having reclaimed what they think is theirs and winning the rights over forests resources in 24 villages. Narrating their hardships to protect the forests, the Block-level Women Federation President in Ranpur, Shashi Pradhan said that the women of Nayagarh District see forest as a source of their livelihood and have been protecting it since 1984.

Women have been protecting and conserving these forests since 1984. People living in the villages had no idea about these rights. The women took charge and decided to hold awareness campaigns on Forest Rights Act, Shashi said. Community and forest resource rights were granted to Kodalapalli and Sinduria village together as they led the fight for the rights jointly. Explaining why the forests are managed mostly by women in Nayagarh district, Shashi said that there was mismanagement when the forests were taken care by the men. There was miscommunication and huge mismanagement when men used to manage the forests. Later, women took over and led the fight for rights, she said. Another forest-dweller in Ranpur, Anita Pradhan told

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