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Kenya: Lobbyists Launch Campaign to Champion Land Rights for Women

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4 years ago

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Nairobi — Leaders and campaigners from across the world Tuesday launched a global advocacy campaign for women’s land rights to break the bias on women owning lands as the world marked the International Women’s Day.

The Stand for Her Land in Africa campaign will link African grassroots organizations, with national actors and international champions.

Already, nearly 100 groups in Uganda, Senegal, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and worldwide are mobilizing to support the campaign.

Esther Mwaura Muiru, Global Advocacy Director for Stand for Her Land called for an end to the patriarchal systems that discourage land ownership by women.

“When women don’t own the land they live and work on, they become trapped in patriarchal systems that reinforce gender inequalities and restrict their social, economic, and political progress,” she explained.

“Through collective action and advocacy, Stand for Her Land is bridging the gap between government commitments and the reality on the ground,” Muiru added.

Participants at the forum noted women’s land rights are linked to the cross-cutting issues of food security and climate change hence the need to clear obstacles impeding women from owning land.

They noted the ability of women to own land will boost their political engagement, influence change, and build climate resilience.

“Countries that place women and their land rights at the center of COVID-19 recovery efforts will emerge stronger and more resilient to future crises. It is estimated that closing the gender gap in land ownership could increase yields on women-owned farms by 20 to 30 per cent, which could reduce the number of hungry people by 100 to 150 million, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization,” Esther Mathenge, commissioner at National Lands Commission said.