• Utthan Team
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A Daughter and Son Are Equal: Land Rights Belong to Both

Waliben Chaudhary, a 60-year-old farmer from Khared village (Mahuva, Bhavnagar), has been an active member of Shakti Mahila Sangathan for two years. Through meetings and land rights awareness sessions, she first learned that her agricultural land—registered in her husband’s name—could also include her own name and her daughters’ names. With guidance from paralegal Nasimben, she discussed this with her husband and obtained his consent to begin the process.

 

However, Waliben was hesitant to include one of her daughters because she had married for love, and the family had cut ties with her. During a counselling meeting with Waliben and her husband, the Sangathan team reminded them that one of their sons had also married for love, yet the family continued to support him and considered adding his name to the land. This helped Waliben reflect: “If my daughter had asked me before marrying, and I had refused—would that have been fair?” Silence followed, and understanding slowly shifted.

 

After several follow-up calls, Waliben’s husband finally contacted their daughter, requested her Aadhaar card, and added her name—along with Waliben’s other daughters—into the Hayati + Hakdakhala land record. Today, during field visits, Waliben proudly shares this change with joy. It stands as a powerful example of gender-equal land rights made possible through dialogue, legal awareness, and patient support from paralegal Nasimben and the Shakti Mahila Sangathan team.