Common stereotypes can hinder the advance of women’s opportunities on the ground

By Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Agnes Quisumbing, and Sophie Theis

This blog is written by Larissa Stiem and Focali member Torsten Krause based on results presented in their article “Exploring the impact of social norms and perception on women´s participation in customary forest and land gov

By Mary Jane Ncube, Farai Shone Mutondoro and Manase Chiweshe

In Zimbabwe land is power. And when this power is abused to score political points or amass wealth illegally, the most vulnerable citizens are the hardest hit. In the traditionally patriarchal communities of Zimbabwe, these citizens are most often women.

By Nicholas K. Tagliarino, World Resources Institute

Land and property rights are key to myriad development goals, from hunger to women's economic empowerment. So why are they so hard to obtain?

“Let us wake up, humankind…Let us build societies that are able to coexist in a dignified way, in way that protects life. Let us come together and remain hopeful as we defend and care for the blood of this Earth and of its spirits.”

By Colleen O'Holleran

Over the past few decades there has been growing awareness of the need to strengthen land rights for women and men across the African continent. As a result, governments have come under growing pressure to improve laws, policies and institutions to guarantee Africa’s smallholder farmers secure land tenure.  

Adding to the urgency of this call to action is the global land rush for farmland, which has raised concerns about large land-based investments displacing smallholders and pastoralists.

By Oxfam International

Food and beverage industry giants improve policy commitments but they must turn them into action

By Jolyne Sanjak

When land tenure experts like me write about the connection between land tenure and food security, we often focus on how secure rights to land tend to increase smallholder farmers’ productivity-enhancing investments. As studies in China, Thailand, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Ghana, among other countries, document—farmers with security of tenure are more likely to invest their finances and labor in improvements to their land.

By Philippine Sutz, Senior researcher – Legal Tools team; Natural Resources Group, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)

This blog was produced for the LEGEND Land Policy Bulletin. Land: Enhancing Governance for Economic Development (LEGEND) is a DFID programme that aims to improve land rights protection, knowledge and information, and the quality of private sector investment in DFID priority countries.

By Women for Women International

This blog was produced for the LEGEND Land Policy Bulletin. Land: Enhancing Governance for Economic Development (LEGEND) is a DFID programme that aims to improve land rights protection, knowledge and information, and the quality of private sector investment in DFID priority countries.

By Philippine Sutz (IIED), LEGEND Core Land Support Team

This blog was produced for the LEGEND Land Policy Bulletin. Land: Enhancing Governance for Economic Development (LEGEND) is a DFID programme that aims to improve land rights protection, knowledge and information, and the quality of private sector investment in DFID priority countries.

By Landesa Responsible Investments in Property and Land (RIPL) Project

 

This blog was produced for the LEGEND Land Policy Bulletin. Land: Enhancing Governance for Economic Development (LEGEND) is a DFID programme that aims to improve land rights protection, knowledge and information, and the quality of private sector investment in DFID priority countries.