Women and land in Africa: Culture religion and realising women's rights

Abstract

Women and land in Africa is the product of original research into the changing situations that rural African women are experiencing in relation to land rights. Its authors link research and analysis with advocacy and action - the purpose being to contriubute towards equalizing gender relations and promoting the ability of African women to achieve greater economic independence as well as other human rights. A number of countries were selected - from West Africa, East Africa and hte Horn, Islamic and non-Islamic. The contributors highlight key land rights issues and make recommendations for each country. In a particularly interesting innovation, the volume examines the case of Ethiopia where there has been an explicit attempt not only to make the research findings available beyong the academic community, but to deply this information in a rolling programme of advocacy. While there are differences in women's access to and control over land, important commonalities emerge. These...