The Challenge
India’s Commons — community forests, pastures, and water resources — are crucial for rural livelihoods, especially for rural women and marginalized groups like Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and landless farmers.
However, Commons face widespread degradation leading to reduced agricultural productivity, depleted water tables, economic distress and increased drudgery of women. Local communities, despite being the ‘natural’ stewards’, lack rights and control over Commons. Despite legal frameworks and significant investment in the Commons, the governance potential of local communities, especially rural women, is largely overlooked.
The solution
Through the “Promise of Commons” initiative, FES with partners, focuses on enabling gender-inclusive, community-led governance of 205 million acres of Commons for improved ecological, social and economic outcomes.
FES leverages the power of networks and coalitions and reach of government and other diverse actors to create a critical mass of action on the ground, strengthening the voice, agency and power of local communities, especially women. By 2027, this collective initiative will benefit 38 million rural people, particularly rural women, who will be pivotal in strengthening governance models across 30 million acres of Commons.
The program is already enabling communities to secure rights, improve livelihoods, and build climate-resilient ecosystems.
With Co-Impact’s support, FES and Partners, as of Dec 2023, have enabled the following
People-level outcomes
Over 28 million people have secured tenure over Commons, with nearly half being women.
Over 25,000 village institutions actively and inclusively manage Commons.
6,000+ women now hold leadership roles within local governance institutions.
6.3 million people have increased incomes due to secure rights and improved resource conditions.
Systems-level outcomes
13.8 million acres of Commons have secure tenure in favour of local communities. 6.5 million acres of them are actively and inclusively managed.
$112 million in public investments unlocked for Commons-related initiatives.
18 platforms and coalitions across 7 states in India are driving gender-inclusive policy and action around Commons.
10 government departments and 4 training institutions have integrated curriculums, designs and tools for effective governance of Commons.
Organisation-level outcomes
Developed the Commons Platform Strategy to improve knowledge sharing and data management across ecosystem actors.
Established a Gender, Diversity and Inclusion team at central and regional levels to strengthen the participation of women in decision-making.
