Stop Childhood Malnutrition: Support Land Rights for Indian Women
A new study shows that 42% of children under five in India are malnourished. Despite a robust economy, Indian women have little control over resources, and therefore aren't able to ensure that their children's needs are met.
Women often have no legal control of the land they farm with their husbands, and are not allowed to claim income produced on that land through their own labor. Research in Nepal, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Ghana has shown that when women own land, families spend more money on food and children are less likely to be malnourished.
Improving the status of women and expanding their access to resources is imperative to ending the crisis among Indian children. Act now to demand that Indian women be allowed to own land on their own or jointly with their husbands.
We the undersigned urge you to enact legislation that would grant all Indian women the right to own land, either independently or jointly with their husbands. Improving the status of women and expanding their access to resources is imperative to ending malnutrition, which affects 42% of children under five in India. Research in Nepal, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Ghana has shown that when women own land, families spend more money on food, and children are less likely to be malnourished. We call on you to ensure that women have legal rights to the land they farm and to the income produced on that land through their labor.
