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In sub-Saharan Africa, less than 13 percent of women aged 20-49 have rights to land, according to research by the World Bank. Therefore, securing their land rights remains a very crucial matter to boost their socio-economic empowerment.
Most former French colonies in Africa gained independence in the 1960s. They largely inherited the civil law system of the French, adding this to their traditions and customary law. Often, the colonial laws were discriminatory. Most former French colonies started reforming the land rights in the 1980s to remedy some injustices. Many reforms focused on either land nationalization or registration programs to establish private ownership.
Modern land reforms remain indispensable to tackle gender inequality in areas where customary discriminatory practices are dominant. In cases where new laws and policies have been promulgated in Francophone African countries, just like other sub-Saharan African countries, nations have struggled to define realistic and progressive implementation strategies.
In this blog, Landesa intern Joy Imbuye aims to review some of the good practices as well as the challenges faced in advancing women’s land rights in select countries in Francophone Africa. Her review, based on existing research and analysis, project reports, and legal provisions, focuses on issues related to inheritance rights for women and girls and women’s participation in land-related decision-making and governance.
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