Land and housing are some of the most valuable assets for an individual. However, several studies and government records have historically revealed a gender skew in property ownership, with more men owning land and housing than women. According to the World Economic Forum, women hold less than 20% of the world’s land.
In Mwanza, Tanzania, Nairukoki Leyian-Naisinyai tells me that here, "Corporations come with papers from the government claiming that they have the right to our land." She points to the large corporations that have entered the lands of the Maasai people to mine rubies and tanzanite. The Maasai can neither assert their rights to the land nor benefit from the mining of these precious resources.
Far too few Indian women have any legal title to property, despite legislative efforts to fix a sharp gender imbalance in inheritance, especially in rural India. This restricts their agency.
The state of Pernambuco and 4 other states in the northeastern region of Brazil have been devastated by heavy rains since the beginning of this week. Some municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Recife, as well as some municipalities of the Zona da Mata were extremely affected, mainly the populations living in poverty, victims of the environmental racism that divides the territory leaving the most dangerous areas for black and non-white populations.
This episode of LandUP! addresses an often overlooked topic by discussing the land rights of widowed women. Widowed women face vastly different hurdles and challenges when it comes to accessing land and this moment of their lives is worth exploring. With this in mind, we spoke to human rights lawyer Faith Alubbe, land economist Nana Ama Yirrah and Mokoro Principal Consultant and Land Portal Board Member Dr. Elizabeth Daley about widowhood and how women's land rights are often tied to a man's, with a specific focus on Africa.
Are you a gender expert working for a member of the ILC?
Join the ILC Gender Experts Network!
WHAT IS IT?
An informal network to foster a culture of sharing among gender experts, as well as to communicate gender issues to the wider ILC network. It is a safe space to exchange, share good practices, and to support each other in solidarity!
Women’s rights to land, housing, property, and natural resources are fundamental human rights – foundational to livelihoods, food, shelter, peace, security, identity, status, and power.
February 2, 2022 (GLOBAL) — Six years into the establishment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Land Portal is re-examining progress made on land-related SDG indicators. More than a dozen land-related indicators are housed over five SDG goals. The newly updated SDG Land Tracker features completely revised and updated narratives for 13 land-related indicators describing why the indicator is important and how the indicators are measured and monitored.
Join the Resource Equity in an accredited ten-week online course. Explore what works to advance women’s land and resource rights and address gender inequality. Gain expert insights into how to avoid the unintended and harmful consequences of gender-neutral thinking in land laws, policies, and programs.
Nitidae, l’Observatoire National du Foncier Burkina Faso (ONF-BF), Oxfam Burkina Faso and the Netherlands Enterprise & Development Agency (RVO) are excited to announce their partnership for a LAND-at-scale project in Burkina Faso. Starting this year, the project will run for three years focusing on strengthening land governance for women and youth for increased food security, focusing on the Liptako Gourma region.
Burkina Faso’s land challenges
