Cultivating Women’s Rights for Access to Land

Citation:

Hatcher, Jeffrey, Laura Meggiolare, and Catia-Isabel Santonico Ferrer. 2005. Cultivating Women’s Rights for Access to Land. Rome: Action Aid International.

Authors: Jeffrey Hatcher, Laura Meggiolare, Catia-Isabel Santonico Ferrer

Abstract:

This desk study provides an analysis of the constraints and discriminations that women face with respect to access to rural land with the hope of informing future policy and civil society interventions. The country studies presented below investigate statutory and customary discriminations, and they attempt to place the theme of women’s access to land into a larger socio-cultural frame of reference. Conceptualized as a desk study, this report offers a unique review of existing literature on women’s land rights issues providing analysis and recommendations for selected developing countries where most population depends on agriculture for sustenance. The choice of the countries covered was based on the needs of the European Union funded International Food Security Network (IFSN) project currently implemented by ActionAid and partners.  Being a desk study, the authors faced considerable challenges in reaching an in-depth understanding of women’s own view on the land rights question. The aim of this study is not to substitute for a detailed country level analysis but rather to highlight the need for reflection on the work that is already being undertaken and build upon it.

Topics: Civil Society, Gender, Women, International Organizations, Rights, Land Rights, Women's Rights

Year: 2005