A woman is the utmost representation of nature in most Afrikan cultures. She is the giver of life, the keeper thereof. With modernisation, Westernisation and the complex evolution of society, the place of women in society has also changed, particularly their economic utility. Economic significance is realised through ownership of assets, such as land.
Land is the most coveted asset and has seen many administrative models across the globe. These models have influenced beneficiary patterns across different factors such as gender. World over, men own 4 times more land than women and in Afrika women own as low as 10% of the land. In Zimbabwe, it is well pronounced with 70% less women who own land alone, compared to men. Traditionally, women have only benefited usufructuary rights on small land parcels owned by their husbands or fathers.
Land ownership for women promotes financial independence from their male counterparts. This means that in a family setup, the widow and the children are safe in the event of the father’s passing or separation. The woman will have greater access and control over her family’s assets. There exists a degree of financial stability in the surviving family, as land is capital.
With violence against women in households seemingly rife, ownership of such an asset contributes to safety, increased agency and louder voices. It reduces a woman’s vulnerability to abuse because of an entire dependence on her partner. Oftentimes, victims of abuse have no utopia to escape to, thus with land, they gain the power to walk away. Land is power.
The absolute ownership of land prevents abuse of land rights and other crucial human rights for vulnerable groups of women such as widows. When one owns the piece of land they are settled in, it protects them from unfair displacement, evictions and invasion. Circumstances are more dire when one rents or is settled under a form of leasehold tenure.
As more women benefit from the land market, the society realises greater prosperity. The increased participation boosts employment, and economic activity such as agriculture, real estate and mining. We realise a great ripple effect on income, food security, land stewardship and children’s welfare. More people are lifted out of poverty, and generations to come are save from the poverty trap.
In conclusion, land is a transformative medium of liberation and it is empowering by its very nature as an omnipotent asset. It is imperative that more women have access to land and their land rights are recognised, documented and strengthened.
State Of Tenure 