India’s Forest Rights Act

India’s Forest Rights Act, enacted in 2006, recognizes the rights of forest-dwelling communities—such as tribal populations and other traditional forest users—over the land they have historically accessed and inhabited. It aims to grant these communities legal title to land and resources, empower them to sustainably manage forests, and ensure their livelihoods and cultural practices are protected. The Act seeks to balance conservation efforts with the rights and welfare of forest-dependent peoples, promoting social justice, ecological sustainability, and indigenous rights within India's diverse forest landscapes.