By Tumukunde Meldah | Coordinator
In Uganda and other countries across Africa, land is in many ways the most important productive resource to possess or have access to. Rights over land are associated with social identity and a source of livelihood. But sadly, the position of women in land accessibility, control and ownership is still precarious in our country. A combination of contemporary and customary law still restricts land rights of women, whom also face significant challenges accessing justice when their rights are violated. Because they are often perceived as subverting traditional power relations, women must grapple with GBV whether they seek to claim their own land rights or champion their communities’ land rights.
That is why one of the areas of intervention of Voice of Women Uganda to protect women from violence is helping them in their fight for land property. We also know that when women have solid rights to land, in some contexts, they may be less likely to face gendered violence, especially within their home. Also, secure land tenure for women means enhanced legal rights and access to justice, greater economic independence and bargaining power, and a decreased incidence of child marriage.
In the past few months Vowu has successfully handled, in cooperation with local law authorities and counsellors, five cases of land property conflicts. We are very proud of the work done because we are convinced that land rights for women hold one of the keys to long-term gender empowerment and reduction in gender-based violence. Some women expressed their feeling this way: “My husband cannot be violent because the title to the land is in my name” and “I cannot be chased away.”
We would also like to thank you for your commitment in joining our fight against gender-based violence and all other forms of discrimination and abuse against women in our communities in Uganda. We are confident we can count on your continuous support and passion!
Warmly,
Tumukunde Meldah - Coordinator, Voice of Women Uganda
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