The relationship between land and women is a bittersweet taste in Afrika. Some cultures outright dedicate a piece of land to mothers in the family, while some only grant usufructuary rights and with some completely excluding 001 Release Date – Air Jordan 11 CMFT Low Black Dark Marina Blue – Air Jordan 5 Year of the Snake HF3183 women access to land. Overall, in both customary and formal land administration systems, the participation of women in the land market is uncomfortably low considering the benefits. This can be attributed to a variety of reasons ranging from exclusion, lack of awareness, limitations of opportunity and to reluctance.
Why should we even protect women’s land rights? Are we taking similar action towards men’s rights to land? Well, women are disproportionately negatively affected by the loss the property rights. It is commonplace for widows to become landless after losing the de jure head of the family plunging the family into poverty. About 70% of agricultural labour is provided by women, and their secure access to this land improves their ability to independently earn and help provide for the family. This granted power also sees reduction of violence against women and improves the ability to negotiate safe sex.
Strides are being taken to improve the security of women’s land rights by creating equitable land administration systems. The first monumental effort being in joint titling of land in married couples both traditionally and formally. It ensures that the surviving wife and children keep their family’s land and continue to benefit from it as de facto inheritance. It also enables unity in improving the value of the piece of land and sustainable use thereof.
Registration of communal or rural land must be deliberately advanced as national agendas and emergencies. This drive will record the state of tenure for customary land which has been neglected and thus undervalued. Those who own land parcels in this regard are therefore not formally provided or adequately planned for – including women headed households. FAO estimates that up to 90% of land is not registered in Afrika, and around 70% of that is customary land. How can rights to property be protected if they are not documented?
Women and girls in communities need to be educated and made aware of the benefits of land ownership and security of tenure. This prevents abuse where lack of knowledge on rights and responsibilities is used how to spot fake nike dunks as a weapon. It also extends to lobbying efforts where deliberate measures are taken to ensure the elements of the land administration system are not biased towards one gender but offer fair access to all.
Land corruption and fraud must be exterminated. It unfairly affects women as they are psychologically more agreeable and often fall victim to irregularities in the land transaction system. The illegal sale of communal land of which women are guardian is one such example. Land corruption leads to dispossession and theft of property causing endless C8087 - 501.177730 , OnlinenevadaShops - Diadora Magic Basket Low Icona 'White Malibu Blue' - diadora n9000 h mip x leo colacicco loops of poverty. Some measures against corruption include victim friendly law enforcement, open-door policy in offices for public due diligence, harsh penalties for perpetrators nike ja 1 scratch and implementing transparent technologies such as open ledger and data platforms.
Here are some interesting stats; only 15% of landowners are women globally, and 1 in every 5 women believe they will lose access to their land in the next 5 years. It is intriguing to see the evolution of the conversation on improving equitable access to land and tenure security. The future of fairness and safety is dependent on our collective effort in this regard.
Happy International Women’s Day across Afrika and the world.