Access to Housing
Rights and Property
Rights for Women:
Select Study in Delhi
and NCR Regions
Bijayalaxmi Nanda
1
Savita Sinha
2
Venika Menon
3
Abstract
This article critically evaluates the housing policies and legal provisions regarding
property rights for women in India. It interrogates the inclusion of gender within
the policies, programmes and laws, and exposes its biases and skewed priorities.
Through a desk review of the policies and programmes and an examination
of court judgements, it provides an understanding of the contestations and
challenges that exist therein.
With carefully conducted interviews and focussed group discussions with
women beneficiaries and policy implementers, this article strives to enrich the
analysis. It provides a set of suggestions and recommendations on enhancing
awareness on women’s right to property and providing women greater access
to housing rights.
Although the fieldwork has been conducted in Delhi–NCR region, it has
implications for the country as a whole. Overall this article contextualises
the debates on gender, policy, laws and institutions in a broader framework of
material structure s and a patriarchal society. It highlights the significance of
creating awareness on gender issues for all concerned, including policymakers,
implementers, judiciary and the women beneficiaries themselves.
Article
Indian Journal of Public
Administration
65(2) 475–493, 2019
© 2019 IIPA
Reprints and permissions:
in.sagepub.com/journals-permissions-india
DOI: 10.1177/0019556119863595
journals.sagepub.com/home/ipa
This is a shorter and revised version of a study report prepared by Bijayalaxmi Nanda for the Girls
Count Coalition, supported by the National Foundation of India and UNFPA.
1
Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.
2
Member, Delhi High Court Bar Association, New Delhi, India.
3
Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York, USA.
Corresponding author:
Bijayalaxmi Nanda, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India.
E-mail: bijayalaxmi.nanda@mirandahouse.ac.in