scholarly journals The Land Is Ours: Bottom-Up Strategies to Secure Rural Women's Access, Control and Rights to Land in Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal and Malawi

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romy Santpoort ◽  
Griet Steel ◽  
Andrew Mkandawire ◽  
Clemente Ntauazi ◽  
El Hadji Faye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Resource Sharing ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Land Rights ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Grassroots Organizations ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Starting Point

Despite their key role in agriculture, in many African regions, women do not have equal access to or control and ownership over land and natural resources as men. As a consequence, international organizations, national governments and non-governmental organizations have joined forces to develop progressive policies and legal frameworks to secure equal land rights for women and men at individual and collective levels in customary tenure systems. However, women and men at the local level may not be aware of women's rights to land, and social and cultural relations may prevent women from claiming their rights. In this context, there are many initiatives and programs that aim to empower women in securing their rights. But still very little is known about the existing strategies and practices women employ to secure their equal rights and control over land and other natural resources. In particular, the lived experiences of women themselves are somewhat overlooked in current debates about women's land rights. Therefore, the foundation of this paper lies in research and action at the local level. It builds on empirical material collected with community members, through a women's land rights action research program in Kenya, Senegal, Malawi, and Mozambique. This paper takes the local level as its starting point of analysis to explore how the activities of women (as well as men and other community members) and grassroots organizations can contribute to increased knowledge and concrete actions to secure women's land rights in customary tenure systems in sub-Saharan Africa. It shows three important categories of activities in the vernacularization process of women's land rights: (1) translating women's land rights from and to local contexts, (2) realizing women's land rights on the ground, and (3) keeping track of progress of securing women's land rights. With concrete activities in these three domains, we show that, in collaboration with grassroots organizations (ranging from grassroots movements to civil society organizations and their international partner organizations), rural women have managed to strengthen their case, to advocate for their own priorities and preferences during land-use planning, and demand accountability in resource sharing. In addition, we show the mediating role of grassroots organizations in the action arena of women's secure rights to land and other natural resources.

The struggles for land rights by rural women in sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Godfrey Massay
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Land Rights ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Private Lands ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide examples of how rural women in Tanzania have addressed land rights challenges, showcasing three interventions implemented by Tanzanian Civil Society Organizations. It demonstrates that women have used both legal and traditional systems to negotiate and mediate their claims to land. Although the interventions featured have been greatly shaped by the work of civil society organizations, they have equally been influenced by rural women movements and individual rural women. The cases selected provide understanding of women’s land rights issues in both privately and communally held property/land. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents literature review of the existing secondary data on the subject coupled with the interviews. Findings Informal and formal approaches have been used by rural women to negotiate their claims on both communal and private lands. CSOs have equally shaped the approaches employed by rural women. Research limitations/implications This research was mainly based on the secondary data and few key interviews. There is a need to conduct further analysis of the issues. Practical implications This paper highlights the role of CSOs in improving the participation of women in decision-making bodies. The wave of large-scale land-based investments has caused insecurity of land tenure for women. The paper shows some ways to address the problem in communal lands. Social implications Socially, the papers shows the power relations involved in the struggles over land, as well as the role of traditional systems and bylaws in protecting the rights of women. Originality/value The paper provides dynamics of gendered approach used by women to negotiate their claims in communally held lands. It also highlights the role and space of local and international CSOs in shaping the local context of resistance on land rights. It is a very useful paper for academics and practitioners working on land rights.

A New Era of Customary Property Rights? – Liberia’s Land and Forest Legislation in Light of the Indigenous Right to Self-Determination

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-462
Author(s):  
Ricarda Rösch
Keyword(s):  
Property Rights ◽  
Land Tenure ◽  
Land Rights ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Forest Legislation ◽  
Customary Land ◽  
The Right

After the end of Liberia’s civil war in 2003, the country embarked upon the reform of its forest and land legislation. This culminated in the adoption of the 2009 Community Rights Law with Respect to Forest Lands and the 2018 Land Rights Act, which NGOs and donors have described as being amongst the most progressive laws in sub-Saharan Africa with regard to the recognition of customary land tenure. Given these actors commitment to human rights, this article takes the indigenous right to self-determination as a starting point for analysing customary property rights and their implementation in Liberia. This includes the examination of the Liberian concept of the 1) recognition and nature of customary land rights, 2) customary ownership of natural resources, 3) jurisdiction over customary land, 4) the prohibition of forcible removal, and 5) the right to free, prior and informed consent.

How Women Entrepreneurs Impact

2022 ◽  
pp. 217-236
Keyword(s):  
Rural Women ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
Economic Role ◽  
Sub Saharan

In this chapter, a case study of women entrepreneurs provides the avenue to understand the challenges of poverty reduction and social change at the grassroots level, particularly in rural areas. This case is first among three cases that are worth noting in this book because this case exemplifies women entrepreneurs in a rural setting, where they mobilize groups of women to transform their household and community, to help impoverished Tanzanian rural women increase earnings and autonomy through nonfarm business. From these perspectives and lessons garnered, there is a tacit but general agreement that women's economic role at the local level is critical for development and that women entrepreneurs are a great resource in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

村规、法律和政府:椒江区农村村规民约解读

Rural China ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-105
Keyword(s):  
Property Rights ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Land Rights ◽  
Rural Populations ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Collective Property ◽  
Collective Ownership ◽  
Single Entity ◽  
Ownership Of Land ◽  
The Village

In the villages of Jiaojiang district in Taizhou municipality, longstanding customs like the husband takes in a wife and the wife marries out to a husband have been made into binding norms by the so-called “village regulations and people’s agreements.” It is commonly thought that to interfere in the marriages of community members, especially to compel wives to move to the husbands’ residence, goes against the law and wrongfully invades the rights of rural women—something traceable to “feudal notions” of male superiority and female inferiority. In reality, however, it is collectivization of land and planned child-births that have altered the traditional village. Such traditional customs have been sustained not by the natural village but rather by the administrative village under the system of collective ownership of land. The absurdity consists in the fact that the village collectivity, which ostensibly broke with tradition, was actually something that combined blood ties and spatial ties into a single entity, such that rural populations enjoy collective land rights on the basis of blood and marriage ties. In that way, the custom of the husband taking in a wife and the wife marrying out to a husband, written into village regulations, has actually formed the required standard for maintaining orderly distribution of collective property benefits. The key to the problem thus consists not in so-called “protecting women’s rights” or changing customs, but rather in dissolving the entrapment of property rights with status. This article is in Chinese. 在台州市椒江区农村，多以村规民约的形式把男娶女嫁等习俗做成强制性的规范。通常认为，对社员婚嫁的干涉、尤其是强制妇女从夫居是与法律相抵触，并侵犯了农村妇女的权益，其根源在于男尊女卑观念和封建意识。但实际上，土地集体所有制和计划生育政策改变了传统乡村。传统习俗所依附的不是自然村落而是土地集体所有制框架下的行政村。问题的悖谬更在于作为与传统决裂而建构的村集体还是个血缘与地域合一的组织，农村人口凭基于血缘与婚姻的身份享受集体地权。如此，被纳入村规中的男娶女嫁等习俗也已经成了维护集体资产利益有序分配的必要规范。所以，问题不在于所谓的“妇女维权”或移风易俗，关键在于如何解开产权 和身份的纠缠。

scholarly journals Localising the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa: implementation challenges and opportunities

2021 ◽  
pp. 4-23
Author(s):  
Eunice Annan-Aggrey ◽  
Elmond Bandauko ◽  
Godwin Arku
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Policy Action ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Implementation Challenges ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Development Goals

At the point of adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Africa’s starting point on almost all dimensions of development was much lower than that of other regions of the world. Thus, SDG progress on the continent determines to a large extent whether the global SDG commitment to ‘leave no one behind’ remains rhetoric or becomes reality. Local government action is critical to the achievement of the SDGs, as most services provided at the local level have a direct impact on SDG indicators. This paper reflects on the first quadrennial review cycle of the SDGs, and highlights challenges encountered in localising the SDGs in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, the paper contributes to the ongoing strategising for the remaining timeline of the SDGs and analyses the opportunities for local governments to contribute to SDG implementation. The paper also seeks to inform policy action to strengthen local capacity to drive the SDGs agenda in the ‘Decade of Action’ (2020–2030).

Impact of Elected Women Representatives of Panchayati Raj in Physical and Financial and Business Assets Development of Rural Women: A Study among the Rural Women’s of Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu[1]

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalaichelvi Sivaraman ◽  
Rengasamy Stalin
Keyword(s):  
Rural Women ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Panchayati Raj

This research paper is the part of Research Project entitled “Impact of Elected Women Representatives in the Life and Livelihood of the Women in Rural Areas: With Special Reference to Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu” funded by University of Madras under UGC-UPE Scheme.The 73rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution of India were made by the government to strengthen the position of women and to create a local-level legal foundation for direct democracy for women in both rural and urban areas. The representation for women in local bodies through reservation policies amendment in Constitution of India has stimulated the political participation of women in rural areas. However, when it’s comes to the argument of whether the women reservation in Panchayati Raj helps or benefits to the life and livelihood development of women as a group? The answer is hypothetical because the studies related to the impact of women representatives of Panchayati Raj in the life and livelihood development of women was very less. Therefore, to fill the gap in existing literature, the present study was conducted among the rural women of Tiruvannamalai district to assess the impact of elected women representatives in the physical and financial and business development of the women in rural areas. The findings revealed that during the last five years because of the women representation in their village Panjayati Raj, the Physical Asset of the rural women were increased or developed moderately (55.8%) and Highly (23.4%) and the Financial and Business Asset of the rural women were increased or developed moderately (60.4%) and Highly (18.7%).

scholarly journals Implications of Governance, Natural Resources, and Security Threats on Economic Development: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6236
Author(s):  
Husam Rjoub ◽  
Chuka Uzoma Ifediora ◽  
Jamiu Adetola Odugbesan ◽  
Benneth Chiemelie Iloka ◽  
João Xavier Rita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Security Threats ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Short Run ◽  
Sub Saharan

Sub-Saharan African countries are known to be bedeviled with some challenges hindering the economic development. Meanwhile, some of these issues have not been exhaustively investigated in the context of the region. Thus, this study aimed at investigating the implications of government effectiveness, availability of natural resources, and security threats on the regions’ economic development. Yearly data, spanning from 2007 to 2020, was converted from low frequency (yearly) to high frequency (quarterly) and utilized. Data analysis was conducted using Dynamic heterogeneous panel level estimators (PMG and CS-ARDL). Findings show that while PMG estimator confirms a long-run causal effect of governance, natural resources, and security threats on economic development, only natural resources show a short-run causal effect with economic development, while the CS-ARDL (model 2) confirms the significance of all the variables both in the long and short-run. Moreover, the ECT coefficients for both models were found to be statistically significant at less than 1% significance level, which indicates that the systems return back to equilibrium in case of a shock that causes disequilibrium, and in addition, reveals a stable long-run cointegration among the variables in the model. Finally, this study suggests that the policy makers in SSA countries should place more emphasis on improving governance, managing security challenges, and effectively utilizing rents from the natural resources, as all these have severe implications for the economic development of the region if not addressed.

scholarly journals Predictors of modern contraceptive usage among sexually active rural women in Ethiopia: A multi-level analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Setegn Muche Fenta ◽  
Shewayiref Geremew Gebremichael
Keyword(s):  
Rural Women ◽  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
Community Level ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Modern Contraceptive ◽  
Sexually Active ◽  
Contraceptive Methods ◽  
Contraceptive Usage ◽  
Modern Contraceptive Use ◽  
Multi Level

Abstract Background Ethiopia is one of the Sub-Saharan Africa countries with the lowest modern contraceptive prevalence rate and the highest fertility rate. This study aimed to assess individual and community-level predictors of modern contraceptive use among sexually active rural women in Ethiopia. Data and methods A sample of 9450 sexual active rural women aged 15-49 was extracted from the 15, 683 nationally representative samples of 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS). Multi-level logistic regression model was considered to identify determinant factors of modern contraceptive use among sexually active rural women in Ethiopia. Result The prevalence of modern contraceptive use among respondents was 20% in rural Ethiopia. Injection (66.35%) was the most common type of modern contraceptive use. In the last full model of the multilevel analysis, individual and community-level factors accounted for 86.69% of the variation in the use of modern contraceptive methods. Secondary and above-educated women (AOR = 1.39, 95%CI: 1.06, 2.81), having 1-4 living children (AOR = 2.70, 95%CI: 2.07, 3.53), rich wealth status (AOR = 2.26, 95%CI: 1.96, 2.60), married women (AOR = 17.31, 95%CI: 10.72, 27.94), having primary educated husband (AOR = 1.45, 95%CI: 1.27, 1.67) and being working husband (AOR = 2.26, 95%CI: 1.96, 2.60) were significantly positively associated with individual-level factors of the use of modern contraceptive methods. Besides, modern contraceptive use was negatively associated with Muslim women (AOR = 0.29, 95%CI: 0.25, 0.33). Compared to the Tigray region, women living in the Afar, Somali, Harari, and Dire Dawa regions had lower use of modern contraceptive methods. Women who had access to mass media (AOR = 1.35, 95%CI: 1.16, 1.57) were more likely to use contraceptives than their counterparts. Conclusion The prevalence of modern contraceptive use among rural women has very low. Both individual and community-level factors were significant predictors of modern contraceptive use. Consequently, the government and other stakeholders need to address educational opportunities; creating awareness about modern contraception and valuable counseling would increase modern contraceptive methods utilization.

scholarly journals Wetlands in Ethiopia: Lessons From 20 years of Research, Policy and Practice

Wetlands ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Dixon ◽  
Adrian Wood ◽  
Afework Hailu
Keyword(s):  
Research Policy ◽  
Wetland Management ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Policy Goals ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Wetland Use

AbstractThroughout sub-Saharan Africa wetlands provide ecosystem services that are critical to the development needs of many people. Local wetland use, however, is often at odds with broader national policy goals in which narratives of conservation and protection dominate, hence a recurring challenge is how to reconcile these tensions through the development of policies and field practice that deliver sustainable development. In this paper we examine the extent to which this challenge has been achieved in Ethiopia, charting the changes in wetlands policy and discourse over the last twenty years while reviewing the contribution of the multidisciplinary Ethiopian Wetlands Research Programme (EWRP) (1997–2000). Our analysis suggests that despite EWRP having a significant legacy in developing national interest in wetlands among research, government and non-governmental organisations, its more holistic social-ecological interpretation of wetland management remains neglected within a policy arena dominated by specific sectoral interests and little recognition of the needs of local people. In exploring the impacts at the local level, recent investigations with communities in Ilu Aba Bora Zone highlight adjustments in wetland use that famers attribute to environmental, economic and social change, but which also evidence the adaptive nature of wetland-based livelihoods.

scholarly journals Improving Relations between a State and a Business Enterprise in the Context of Counteracting Adverse Effects of the Resource Curse

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1067
Author(s):  
Marek Szturo ◽  
Bogdan Włodarczyk ◽  
Alberto Burchi ◽  
Ireneusz Miciuła ◽  
Karolina Szturo
Keyword(s):  
Economic Policy ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Resource Sharing ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Resource Curse ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Strategic Resources ◽  
Key Resources

Natural resources play a significant role in the development of the global economy. This refers, in particular, to strategic fuel and mineral resources. Due to the limited supply of natural resources and the lack of substitutes for most of the key resources in the world, the competition for the access to strategic resources is a feature of the global economy. It would seem that the countries which are rich in resources, because of this huge demand, enjoy spectacular economic prosperity. However, the results of empirical studies have demonstrated what is known as the ‘resource curse’. This article concentrates on the characteristics of the paradox of plenty, and in particular on the possibilities of preventing this phenomenon. The aim of this article is to identify the measures of economic policy with which to counteract the resource curse, based on the relationship between the state and the extraction business. Upon the critical analysis of the relevant literature, we concluded that the state’s economic policy, implemented in cooperation with the extraction business, is increasingly important for the prevention of the resource curse. In the context of the resource curse, the optimal and most consensual instrument, in comparison with other resource sharing agreements, is a production sharing agreement (PSA), which should also be adjusted to the current local economic conditions in a given country.

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