ActionAid India has made 3 short autobiographical films about the lives of three inspirational Dalit women from Andhra Pradesh, south eastern India, who have joined the struggle for land and Dalit rights.


A Long Journey Towards Dignity

There are over 100 million Dalit (formerly "untouchable") women in India. Few own land. Nor do they have any right over resources. They often go hungry and face the issues of untouchability and sexual violence.





Choudappagari Aswthamma, Vice President of ActionAid partner, Dalit Federation, describes her treatment by the upper caste landlords as a widowed Dalit woman, how she became aware of the work of the Dalit Federation and gained the confidence to become a campaigner.


Never Give Up

Bhogaram Sayamma describes her hand to mouth existence and the importance of land ownership for Dalit women: it will give them security and dignity.




The treatment of Dalits has improved in the last few years, yet many promises have not yet been realised. For Sayamma, land ownership is crucial as she would be self sufficient and would be able to grow her own food. This would free her from the constant worry that if, on one day, she cannot get work, she and her family will not eat.


Land Will Free Us From Hunger

The centuries-old caste system in India treats Dalits as "untouchables" the word literally means "oppressed people". Tirupati Subbamma describes her treatment as a widowed Dalit woman and the hunger that she and her children have endured as landless labourers.





Land would provide for their immediate needs but would also bring a sense of security. This is why so many have joined the land struggle and are working with ActionAid/HungerFREE partner Dalit Federation to achieve the goal of 5 acres of land for every Dalit women.


The Campaign

ActionAid's HungerFREE campaign is demanding "food sovereignty" for all: people need to be able to provide for themselves in a self relient and self sufficient manner. This is the "security" that would enable women like Aswthamma, Sayamma and Subbamma to know that they can support themselves and their families and do not have to rely on the caprice of casual labour and unjust landlords.

HungerFREE India has mobilized thousands of Dalit women to fight for land rights and it is now a movement. Since the campaign launched in December 2007 7,000 acres of land has been secured for 5,000 women.


But there is still so much more to do:

According to rough estimates, only 2 to 3% Dalit women have land. Nor do they have any right over resources. Centuries of discrimination by dominant castes have placed Dalit women resolutely amongst the poorest of the poor.

Working with ActionAid partner, Dalit Federation, HungerFREE Women is demanding that the Indian government:

• Provides 5 acres of agricultural land to every Dalit landless woman
• Provides 5 cents of homestead land to every Dalit family
• Stops violence and discrimination against Dalit girls and women
  

© Emma Stoner/ActionAid