A STUDY ON THE SITUATION OF MUSLIM WIDOWS AND PROPERTY RIGHTS IN SIVAGANGAI DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU

Human need to have the three basic rights namely food, cloth and shelter guaranteed in any nation for that matter. If individuals are not ensured with such basic needs, it is the failure of the State and the civil society. The women’s land and housing rights in India are governed by the respective personal laws of the respective religion. The women’s property rights are again determined by their position in the family whether she is a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and daughter in law or a widow of the diseased person. The extent and magnitude of property rights varies according to the religious laws. However, the laws are discriminatory and do not give equal rights in property to women in general and widows in particular across all religious groups. The customary practices also curtail the access to property rights to women. The socio economic conditions of widows also add up to the vulnerability. This paper explores the socio economic conditions and vulnerability of widows among Muslim minority community and their access to and control over property rights, particularly their basic right to have shelter as Housing rights