"We have been holding Tamil Nadu Dalit Women's conferences every year, and in Arakkonam for the last three years. We invited representatives of various women's organisations to these conferences, which inspired them to hold this first ever Asian Rural Women's Conference here" explains Fatima Burnad, coordinator of the Tamil Nadu Women's Forum.
The stories and testimonies that rural women will relate at this pan-Asia conference, reflect their life histories of pain, despair and struggle across geography and cultures. These life experiences are bound by a single thread underpinning the fact that through history and till date, sex remains the most widespread and deeply embedded divisive and discriminating factor in our societies. And that women-rural women at that-remain at the very bottom rung of the society, always the first to be sacrificed. This is doubly so in the case for the Dalit communities in India-socially, economically and politically ostracized and brutalized by virtue of an archaic entrenched caste system.
The stories and experiences of rural women that will be shared at the conference would also emphasize that development and globalization, driven by mercenary intent, have only exacerbated this discrimination or brought forth its newer dimensions. The price is being paid by the rural and economically lower sections of the society in general and the women in particular. Rural women remain the ultimate Dalit of our societies.
But the testimonies of the women are also stories of courage and hope. Stories of women's individual urge and determination to overcome their personal fates, tragedies and hardships. Not just that. The stories also highlight their resolve to carry on the struggle despite all odds, and do this through their own inner and collective strength.
Among these, the case studies of four Dalit women of Tamil Nadu are representative, starkly poignant and inspirational.
Renuka (of Mangattucheri village, Vellore District) was only 7 yrs old when she was married off to the local deity 'Mathamma' in a practice followed by the cobbler community of the region. Consigned to being a temple dancer, it effectively meant a series of live-in relationships and a life of absolute humiliation as a sex worker. But her resolution to not let her daughter follow in her footsteps got her in touch with SRED in 2000. This led her to being instrumental in starting the Mathamma Movement, which is now operative in 22 villages in Thiruvellore, Vellore and Kancheepuram districts and seeks to create awareness and eradicate this degrading practice. But her initiatives also made her new enemies. The high-caste Hindus of her own village destroyed her house and she had to flee to a neighbouring village for safety. However, her mission has given her strength. Today her 14 year old daughter is studying. Renuka herself makes a living from being a cobbler. And her calling goes much beyond to address the larger issues of the rights of the girl child and women.
In another case, Saroja (of Tirutanni, Thiruvellore District) suffered from false hopes, deceit and sexual abuse to land up in a red-light area at the mere age of 16. It was there she contracted HIV. But today, as a member of the Commercial Sex Workers Movement which is active in Thiruvalangadu, Tiruttani, Sholingur, Perambakkam, Arakkonam and Kancheepuram, Saroja is an active votary of health and rights of commercial sex workers. The movement also assists in helping its members develop alternative livelihood opportunities for themselves. However, this is a big challenge, with men and touts and even government officials forcing them, one way or the other, to return to prostitution. But Saroja is determined to not relent in her struggle, even though it may appear to be unending for it is the system that perpetuates the problems.
Originally Lakshmi, now renamed Indira Gandhi (of Nehru Nagar, Chengleput district), belongs to the nomadic Narikuravars tribe. Like the others in her community, she was also expected to beg and make small traditional neck attires and ornaments. When she was only 7 years, she was engaged to marry a 47 year old man as his third wife. But she wanted to study and ran away on her day of marriage. Indira completed her graduation and, after much effort, found employment in the forest department as a social forestry worker in 1983. Today, she is a forest guard in the reserved forest area of Singaperumalkovil in Chengleput District. Once, she took up cudgels against sand quarrying in her village which raised so much ire among those with vested interests that her son was murdered-but Indira did not relent. Taking inspiration from her, today as many as 30 people in her community, which once ostracized her father for giving his son education, are now beginning their education.
Muthamma (of Illupur village, Tiruttani Taluk, Thiruvellore district) is an agriculture labourer. She separated from her husband when she found that he was having an extra-marital affair. But she is determined to raise her son on her own. She joined the Landless Laborers Movement (LLM), which brought a significant change in her life and personality. She filed a case against her husband and sought compensation. She won the case and was awarded Rs. 1 lakh as compensation though not given a share in her husband's property. But that did not worry her too much. With her self-confidence enhanced, she has become one of the bolder activists of the LLM-unable to stand any woman being victimized or harassed, and unafraid to meet with even the higher officials over the developmental problems or issues in her village. Recently, during the Panchayat (village) elections, a violent mob entered a polling booth and started rigging the votes. Muthamma fearlessly confronted the mob and prevented the elections from being rigged. The person responsible for the mob and the rigging had to make a public apology.
There are hundreds of women much like Renuka, Saroja, Indira and Muthamma attending the Asian Rural Women's Conference at Arakkonam, taking heart and courage from it. More importantly, there are thousands and thousands of such women spread across the rural societies in Asia-each woman with an anguish, despair, desire or steel in her heart.
For every Renuka and Saroja there are countless other women who continue to be treated as objects of sex. For every Indira and Muthamma, there are unlimited women champions in their own right.
This why for Fatima Burnad, the Conference brings hope for change, especially for rural Dalit women: "We expect that the conference will have a political and economic impact on the lives of the rural women here; that they will feel inspired by it to learn that rural women across the region have common problems and issues. And that together we can take action for change!"
# # #
The struggles of rural Dalit women will be one of the main topics raised at the RIGHTS, EMPOWERMENT AND LIBERATION: ASIAN RURAL WOMEN'S CONFERENCE to be held in Arakonam, Tamil Nadu, India from MARCH 6-8, 2008. More than a thousand rural and indigenous women from various sectors of peasants, agricultural workers, fisherfolk, Dalits, pastoralists, informal workers, child labourers and minorities from all over Asia will gather in a vast field at the venue to strengthen the rural and indigenous women's movement and to build the leadership of women.
Hosted by the Tamil Nadu Women's Forum (TNWF), the Tamil Nadu Dalit Women's Forum (TNDWF) and the Society of Rural Development (SRED), the conference aims to build perspectives, engender unity and solidarity among women and with other movements. It will also strive to forge new visions and new thinking about feminism, liberation, emancipation and the women's perspective on national liberation and food sovereignty, leading to strategies and collective action. The Conference is co-organised by a mix of national and regional groups, including CARAM Asia, who are strong advocates of women's rights and working with rural and indigenous women communities on issues of trade, food and agriculture, labour, reproductive health, and women's rights.
The three-day event will feature speak-outs and testimonies from rural and indigenous women sectors in Asia, symposiums and forums on rural women's issues, an organic food festival, film and other cultural presentations from various countries, and other solidarity actions.
Culminating on International Women's Day, the conference will be followed by a two-hour Women's Caravan led by rural and indigenous women weaving through streets and fields and a public assembly of 10,000 grassroots women leaders.
Contacts for Media co-organiser
Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Asia and the Pacific:
Jennifer Mourin, Email:
Tel. in India: +91 978 78 12095
Marjo Busto Quinto, Email: / or
Tel. in India: +91 9791866484 (Arakkonam) calls only.
