A woman checks out the features on her land title. Studying the features on a land title before engaging in a land transaction is one of the things a buyer can do to avoid being duped. PHOTO/FILE
KAMPALA (Uganda) — Women’s rights activists in Uganda are pushing for reforms to address the country’s persistent gender disparities in land ownership, a issue that has been exacerbated by entrenched cultural and social norms.
Ahead of Women’s Day event, activists from the Stand for Her Land Campaign and the Women’s Land Rights Movement called for swift action to secure women’s access to land, emphasizing the critical role it plays in achieving economic empowerment and social justice.
John Mwebe, a coalition member, emphasized the need for transformative change in women’s lives, particularly regarding land rights.
“Agriculture is the backbone of Uganda’s economy, yet women provide 70% of the labor force but own only 27% of the land,” Mwebe said, citing a report by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS).
Mwebe attributed the disparity to entrenched cultural and social norms, conflicting land tenure regimes, and a complex justice system.
Dr. Doreen Kobusingye, another activist, highlighted the growing prevalence of land disputes and the use of excessive force in resolving them.
“Land conflicts exacerbate poverty, undermine social cohesion, and perpetuate inequality,” Kobusingye said. “In Uganda, land conflicts account for over 23% of all civil cases, with women and children often bearing the brunt of the violence.”
Lilian Achola emphasized the challenges women face in accessing land justice due to a politicized and lengthy justice system.
“Women’s rights to own property, access land justice, and secure land rights remain largely unfulfilled,” Achola said. “In Uganda, the justice system is often slow and expensive, making it difficult for women to access justice.”
Mastula Nakisozi called for greater accountability in land service delivery and increased awareness about women’s land rights.
“The government must create an environment where everyone feels safe and can exercise their rights without fear of retaliation,” Nakisozi said.
The activists urged the government to take concrete steps to address the issue, including increasing funding for gender-responsive land services, strengthening the capacity of women’s rights organizations, and promoting awareness about women’s land rights.
“The government must prioritize the needs of women and ensure that they have equal access to land and justice,” Mwebe said. “This is critical for achieving Uganda’s Vision 2040, which aims to transform Uganda into a middle-income country.”
According to Christopher Burke, a senior advisor at WMC Africa, the issue of women’s land rights in Uganda is more complex than it appears.
“While women generally have less secure land rights than men, the details matter,” Burke said. “Customary tenure systems, often portrayed as inherently patriarchal, are considerably more complex than they appear.”
Burke emphasized that customary land tenure systems in Africa are not static, but evolve in response to economic and social change.
“Land reforms that formalize land ownership can have unintended consequences, such as weakening communal landholding systems that traditionally allowed women to access land through their families,” Burke said.
Burke suggested that strengthening customary mechanisms that already recognize women’s rights, while addressing the challenges that make these rights vulnerable, can be a more effective approach.
“Instead of replacing customary systems with formal land titling schemes, policymakers should explore ways to strengthen and adapt customary practices to better protect women’s rights in the changing economic landscape,” Burke said.
Burke also noted that interventions must be tailored to different categories of women, such as unmarried mothers, who face unique challenges in securing tenure.
“Programs that work within customary frameworks to recognize their contributions to family land can help provide them with stronger tenure security,” Burke said.
The activists and experts emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to address the issue of women’s land rights in Uganda.
“The government, civil society, and communities must work together to create a more just and equitable society, where women have equal access to land and justice,” Mwebe said.
The event marked a crucial step towards achieving this goal, as activists and experts came together to raise awareness and mobilize action on women’s land rights in Uganda.
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