Women And Land In Africa

Women And Land In Africa

[This book] is the product of original research into the changing situations that rural African women are experiencing in relation to land rights. Its authors link research and analysis with advocacy and action - the purpose being to contribute towards equalizing gender relations and promoting the ability of African women to achieve greater economic independence as well as other human rights. A number of countries were selected - from West Africa, East Africa and the Horn ; Islamic and non-Islamic. The contributors highlight key land rights issues and make recommandations for each country. [...] While there are differences in women's access to and control over land, important commonalities emerge. These include the dualism between customary or religious (notably Islamic) land law, and statute law ; the gap between the rights women have in theory and their ability to assert them ; and the superior rights and power of men generally to control land, decision-making, and household income. Changing this situation has not been helped by the fact that women's land rights have been largely ignored by both Christian and Islamic social movements, as well as environmental and development movements. However, the authors argue that various social forces are now weakening customary and religious institutions ; and innovative approaches to advocacy are seeking to assert women's human rights in this changing context. What is needed is the development of customary and religious interpretations which recognize that today's communities are often urban, multi-ethnic and pluralistic, and that women's equal status and full enjoyement of rights are things to be welcomed and enshrined in customary, religious and statutory law.


Author Lynne Muthoni Wanyeki (2003)
ISBN 1842770977, 9781842770979
Format Paperback
Pages 384p.