Uganda Land Minister Promotes Women's Land Rights With Help From World Bank
Uganda has received a $54 million loan from the World Bank to raise public awareness about land tenure, especially the rights of women to own land, Daudi Migereko, Uganda's Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development said on Monday.
The new loan coincides with a huge public demand for more information about land rights. Conflicts and protests are sweeping through Uganda over land ownership, land grabbing and displacement of long-time residents as the government grapples with economic development issues, agri-business investment and the discovery of oil and gas.
"As a Ministry of Lands, it is part of our duty to sensitise people about their rights and obligations in as far as land matters are concerned," Migereko said in an interview at the World Bank conference on Land and Poverty in Washington.
"We have been low on funding but fortunately, we recently procured a line of credit which will enable marginalised groups like women and clan groups to be in position to acquire rights over land just like individuals. The loan of $54 million which we are acquiring from the World Bank will help," he said.
Uganda has a long history of providing women legal rights to own land - under its constitution, the 1998 Land Act, the 2010 Land Amendment Act as well as the 2013 National Land Policy. But in practice, women continue to suffer marginalisation from their families and societies.
Women in Uganda frequently do not inherit land, do not hold joint title on land deeds or make decision on land. Migereko says while women need to learn the procedures of acquiring land, society needs to appreciate and acknowledge the fact that men and women have equal rights to land.
"We have to continue supporting women and create greater confidence that these rights are real," Migereko said.
Uganda is not alone in facing challenges over women's land rights, said Ayse Yonder, a land expert at the Pratt Institute in New York told the conference. While global policies recognise gender equality in ownership of land, there is little understanding of the difficulties women go through to access land and secure land tenure. Women have very limited access to financial credit to buy and own their own land or acquire titles, she said in reciting a list of difficulties that women face.
The new loan coincides with a huge public demand for more information about land rights. Conflicts and protests are sweeping through Uganda over land ownership, land grabbing and displacement of long-time residents as the government grapples with economic development issues, agri-business investment and the discovery of oil and gas.
"As a Ministry of Lands, it is part of our duty to sensitise people about their rights and obligations in as far as land matters are concerned," Migereko said in an interview at the World Bank conference on Land and Poverty in Washington.
"We have been low on funding but fortunately, we recently procured a line of credit which will enable marginalised groups like women and clan groups to be in position to acquire rights over land just like individuals. The loan of $54 million which we are acquiring from the World Bank will help," he said.
Uganda has a long history of providing women legal rights to own land - under its constitution, the 1998 Land Act, the 2010 Land Amendment Act as well as the 2013 National Land Policy. But in practice, women continue to suffer marginalisation from their families and societies.
Women in Uganda frequently do not inherit land, do not hold joint title on land deeds or make decision on land. Migereko says while women need to learn the procedures of acquiring land, society needs to appreciate and acknowledge the fact that men and women have equal rights to land.
"We have to continue supporting women and create greater confidence that these rights are real," Migereko said.
Uganda is not alone in facing challenges over women's land rights, said Ayse Yonder, a land expert at the Pratt Institute in New York told the conference. While global policies recognise gender equality in ownership of land, there is little understanding of the difficulties women go through to access land and secure land tenure. Women have very limited access to financial credit to buy and own their own land or acquire titles, she said in reciting a list of difficulties that women face.
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