For rural communities, land is crucial for providing families with housing, food, and security. Holding land is often associated with social status and higher income.
Still, in many parts of the world, women face numerous barriers in acquiring land and often they are not allowed to hold land rights independently of their husbands.
Globally women own less land than men. In fact, they account for less than 20 per cent of the world’s landholders. Still, they play a crucial role in agriculture and food production. The UN reports that 70 per cent of employed women in South Asia and 60 per cent of employed women in sub-Saharan Africa work in agriculture.
The disparities in land rights of men and women arise from patriarchal cultural norms prevalent in some societies. Unless these socially constructed attitudes putting women at a disadvantage are addressed and gender equality is extended to land rights, Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved. These goals are a universal call to action to end poverty and promote the human rights of all people regardless of gender or race.
Women’s land ownership has benefits for entire communities
Even though in many countries men and women are equally involved in farming land and cultivating food crops, women can only access land they work on through their husbands or male relatives. The biggest risk associated with that is that should an accident happen and the man they are dependent on passed away, they would be deprived of accommodation and food supplies overnight.
South Africa’s land policy seeks to boost women in redistribution delivery
Depriving women of their land rights is a violation of their basic rights and it has serious implications for the well-being of them and their families.
In rural communities, men usually focus on cultivating commercial crops, and women focus on growing resources for domestic consumption. Moreover, as the report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change revealed, ‘women are primarily responsible for storing, processing, and preparing food, handling livestock; gathering food, and managing domestic water supply.’
Hence, excluding women from land ownership and consequently limiting their access to farming tools can lead to lowering the quality of nutrition of entire households.
When women own land and face no restrictions in being able to till it, whole families are healthier and better fed. Additionally, newborn health improves and food security can be achieved, driving progress and improving the life quality of vulnerable communities.
Securing women’s land rights can have an even bigger impact
In addition to improving the health and nutrition of families, promoting women’s land rights can help solve problems such as child marriage and domestic violence.
In developing countries, marrying off daughters to older men in exchange for money is often a measure that families in desperate need of money resort to. When women have the right to own land, household resources increase. Women can earn an income not only from cultivating the land but also from ‘renting or leasing their land to others’, the International Food Policy Research Institute explains. Consequently, there is no need to force children into marriages because of financial reasons.
Women’s land ownership is also correlated with improved educational attainment for children, including girls. That can help them find good employment in the future.
In a similar manner, if women hold their own land, they are more likely to stand up for themselves if they are victims of domestic abuse. When they are completely reliant on men for income, food, and shelter, they could risk losing everything if they sought help. When women own land, however, they can actually resist and leave their abusive husbands.
Barriers to women’s land ownership are difficult to overcome
Understanding the dynamic roles of men and women in today’s societies is crucial to creating gender equity in land ownership. Land tenure arrangements vary within and among countries so coming up with one policy regulating the field is extremely challenging.
Furthermore, attempts to formally regulate land ownership in low-income countries are unlikely to be effective. With largely rural populations that have limited knowledge of statutory law, the lives of people living in remote communities are regulated by customary rules and patriarchal cultural norms.
That is why, what is possibly the most important thing in promoting women’s land rights in developing states, is educating women on their rights and equipping them with skills and knowledge that can lower their dependence on men. Furthermore, engaging men and boys is equally important to ensure that they understand what the benefits of letting women hold land rights are and to show them that women are not inferior to them in any way.
These solutions require changing the way people think, which is not an easy task. Still, without it, persistent inequalities between men and women regarding employment and social position cannot be successfully addressed.
About the author:
Katarzyna Rybarczyk is a Political Correspondent for Immigration Advice Service, an immigration law firm based in the UK but operating globally. Through her articles, she aims to raise awareness about security threats worldwide and the challenges facing communities living in developing countries. -This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
