World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty – March 24-27, 2014 Leslie Hannay & Elisa Scalise Securing Women’s Land Tenure in Northern Uganda A Women First Approach

2 Challenges to Realizing Women’s Customary Land Rights Women’s customary land rights are often: Limited use rights Dependent on relationships with men Secondary to men’s rights Vulnerable to changes in women’s personal status or family Challenge: Variation among customary systems Understanding tenure issues for women

3 A Women First approach to securing land tenure Effective solutions require: Nuanced, specific assessment of women’s tenure issues Gender-neutral assessments miss critical information: Women’s issues differ from men’s Result: Assessments lack key information ‒ Roots of problem not well understood ‒ Solutions not apparent

4 The Women’s Land Rights Framework “Secure women’s land rights” defined Facilitates analysis & measurement of elements individually ‒ Root causes ‒ Specific & nuanced ‒ Key leverage & entry points Foundation for design, implementation and evaluation of projects

5 The Women’s Land Rights Framework A Woman’s Land Rights are Secure if: They are legitimate They are not vulnerable to changes in her social status, family structure, or community leadership They are granted for an extended period of time They are enforceable Her ability to exercise them does not require an additional layer of approval that only applies to women

6 Approach to Assessment, Design, and Evaluation Women have Secure Land Rights Assess Design Evaluate “Are women’s land rights secure?” Activities & Entry Points “Are women’s land rights more secure?” Objective

7 Applying the Framework Assess Are women’s land rights: Legitimate? Vulnerable to changes? Enforceable? Durable? Need extra approval? Women have Secure Land Rights Design Evaluate Activities & Entry Points “Are women’s land rights more secure?”

8 Applying the Framework – Assessment Assess Design Evaluate Vulnerable if… Are women’s land rights: Husband leaves? Husband remarries? Husband dies? Clan leaders change? Woman’s father dies? Eviction threat from government? Eviction threat from neighbor? In-laws? Women have Secure Land Rights

9 Women’s land rights training for: Clan leaders Women Traditional and formal leaders Women’s public speaking training Community awareness Household visits Applying the Framework – Design Assess Design Vulnerable if… Are women’s land rights: Husband leaves? Husband remarries? Husband dies? Clan leaders change? Woman’s father dies? Eviction threat from government? Eviction threat from neighbor? In-laws? Evaluate Women have Secure Land Rights

10 Applying the Framework – Evaluation Assess Design Vulnerable if… Are women’s land rights: Women’s rights are: Understood Recognized by clan Recognized by husband Able to withstand changes in her status Evaluate Women have Secure Land Rights Women’s land rights training for: Clan leaders Women Traditional and formal leaders Women’s public speaking training Community awareness Household visits Husband leaves? Husband remarries? Husband dies? Clan leaders change? Woman’s father dies? Eviction threat from government? Eviction threat from neighbor? In-laws?

11 Discussion Starting with women ensures: Responsive Context-specific Proactive Integrated Work in progress: Long-term rights Incorporate objective measures Integrate stakeholder mapping

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