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The issue of equal access of citizens to land remains a concern of public authorities to respond to issues related to household food security, especially in rural areas. Along the way, a legal and regulatory framework has been developed to give substance to the development options of the primary sector consisting of agriculture and livestock. However, the criteria identified in the context of the allocation of land in the national domain are sometimes biased due to considerations based on the social position of the person concerned. Indeed, the notion of capacity to be able to develop the land requested naturally excludes certain strata that do not meet the financial conditions required for such exploitation. According to our surveys, the category of people who find themselves in this situation is often made up of women, young people, the elderly and those with disabilities. However, there are a series of measures that would aim to restore the equality of citizens for the access and use of natural and land resources. Land projects and programs in collaboration with the State and rural communes make consideration of the gender aspect a component. This concern has enabled vulnerable groups to be better taken into account in the land allocation activities of the national domain at the level of the commune of Diama, notwithstanding the breakthrough of large-scale land acquisitions (ATE).

This paper presents empirical evidences of cultural barriers to women and the youths in accessing family land among the Ndali tribe, drawing insights on the cultural practices and social norms. The evidence emanates from discussions with local leaders: members of Village Land Councils and members of the Village Councils from six villages namely Itumba, Isongole, Nyenzebwe, Mlale, Ilulu and Izuba. A total of 65 leaders (26 females and 39 males) took part in the focus group discussion during a seminar on the Tanzanian land laws. Empirical evidences have shown that access to land held under customary tenure for both women and the youth within the Ndali tribe is largely influenced by multiple cultural norms including patrilineal lineage, commoditization of women through dowry payment upon marriage, and gender-based discrimination on inheritance. The dominant patrilineal lineage does not recognize women rights to land. Women are considered temporary members in the clans i.e. as daughters who will get married or wives who may leave upon divorce. Women are considered commodities purchased through dowry and, therefore, not qualified to inherit land on the husband’s clan land. As such, family or clan land is passed over through male family members. For the youths, the main cultural barrier is associated with the timing of inheritance. It was observed that it is a common practice for male youth to inherit clan and family land at the passing on of the male head of the family. The youth remain landless and only access use rights. The observed cultural barriers suggest that the legal framework which govern land management and provides for equal access to land is not well understood. There is need to put in place strategies for creating awareness of the laws to curb continued discriminative cultural norms and practices.

Context and Background: The Government of the Republic of Zambia has strengthened the policy and legal frameworks to support gender equality and women's empowerment. Although there are no legal barriers to women’s property rights in Zambia as stipulated in the country’s respective gender policy or land laws, in practical terms, this provision has yet to yield much success regarding women’s state land ownership. Goal and Objectives: This paper aims at establishing the situation regarding women’s access to state land and investigating the obstacles preventing the implementation of the policy and legal frameworks concerning women’s access to state land. Methodology: Primary data were obtained from five purposively selected institutions: Kalulushi Municipal Council, Chingola Municipal Council, Chililabombwe Municipal Council, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and Zambia Land Alliance (Kitwe office). The data collection method used with the key informants was in-depth face-to-face interviews. Office management at each institution chose the key informant based on their expertise and experience on the subject. Primary data were further collected from ninety-six (96) women working in the formal and informal sectors. In particular, thirty-two (32) women from each case study area, were randomly selected, and the questionnaire method was used for data collection. Secondary data were obtained through desk research and documents collected from the government offices. Results: Research findings from Kalulushi, Chingola, and Chililabombwe Municipal Councils revealed that the provision under the 2014 National Gender Policy of allocating 50 percent of available state land to women was never achieved from 2014 to 2021. There are various obstacles preventing women from accessing state land. These included but not restricted to information gap, complex procedure for accessing state land, high plot fees, low gender mainstreaming, cultural norms and traditions, and limited women’s participation in decision-making over land matters, In view of the foregoing, gender equality in access to state land can be addressed through: improving the sensitization programs of municipal councils on women's land rights; streamlining the procedure for accessing state land; addressing poverty among women through reducing plot fees and keeping low the land administration costs; ensuring understanding of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in the land sector by policy implementers; building awareness of demerits of cultural norms and traditions; and facilitating women's participation in the decision-making process and community mobilization initiatives.

Millions of poor people who live in rural areas and rely on agriculture for a living need secure access to productive land. Gender disparities in access to productive resources, such as agricultural land, remain a major concern, especially in Nigeria. This study therefore, investigated the impact of land access and ownership on farm production across gender in Southwest Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a total of 480 respondents comprising of 240 male headed households and 240 female headed households across the three states in Southwest Nigeria. Cross-sectional data were obtained through structured questionnaire and subjected to statistical analysis such as propensity score matching (PSM), inverse probability-weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA), and instrumental variable (IV) regression approach to control for possible endogeneity that could arise from the data collected. Farm yield of household heads was used as indicator to estimate the impact of land access and land ownership. Results show that most (56.7%) of male and 46.4% of female headed households acquired land through family inheritance. The significant difference existed between farm yield gained by male and female headed households due to their level of land access and land ownership at 5%. The size of the estimated treatment effect indicates a high improvement in the farm yield outcome of male headed households compared their female counterparts. Also, findings show that marital status, level of education, access to credit, and membership of association all had a positive and statistically significant relationship with both male and female headed households’ access to land and land ownership at various levels. This study thus, conclude that there were gender differences in land accessibility and ownership in the study area as male headed households were found to have more access to farm land than their female counterparts. Reliable data on male and female headed households’ access to land and land ownership are critical for providing an accurate picture of female headed households’ land tenure arrangement, improving policy formulation and monitoring progress towards the attainment of gender equality in land access is hence encouraged. Also, group formation and membership should be promoted and encouraged especially among female headed households to enhance their purchasing power through access to credit, and common voice in accessing communal lands.

Millions of poor people who live in rural areas and rely on agriculture for a living need secure access to productive land. Gender disparities in access to productive resources, such as agricultural land, remain a major concern, especially in Nigeria. This study therefore, investigated the impact of land access and ownership on farm production across gender in Southwest Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a total of 480 respondents comprising of 240 male headed households and 240 female headed households across the three states in Southwest Nigeria. Cross-sectional data were obtained through structured questionnaire and subjected to statistical analysis such as propensity score matching (PSM), inverse probability-weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA), and instrumental variable (IV) regression approach to control for possible endogeneity that could arise from the data collected. Farm yield of household heads was used as indicator to estimate the impact of land access and land ownership. Results show that most (56.7%) of male and 46.4% of female headed households acquired land through family inheritance. The significant difference existed between farm yield gained by male and female headed households due to their level of land access and land ownership at 5%. The size of the estimated treatment effect indicates a high improvement in the farm yield outcome of male headed households compared their female counterparts. Also, findings show that marital status, level of education, access to credit, and membership of association all had a positive and statistically significant relationship with both male and female headed households’ access to land and land ownership at various levels. This study thus, conclude that there were gender differences in land accessibility and ownership in the study area as male headed households were found to have more access to farm land than their female counterparts. Reliable data on male and female headed households’ access to land and land ownership are critical for providing an accurate picture of female headed households’ land tenure arrangement, improving policy formulation and monitoring progress towards the attainment of gender equality in land access is hence encouraged. Also, group formation and membership should be promoted and encouraged especially among female headed households to enhance their purchasing power through access to credit, and common voice in accessing communal lands.

Effective reform pathways for addressing women’s access to land and tenure security in Africa are yet to be found despite their role in feeding the population. With the adoption of the AU Declaration on Land Issues and Challenges in Africa (2009) and the launch of the African Land Policy Centre (2017), hopes were high that existing precarious women’s access to land, tenure and food security might be transformed to opportunities. Prevailing discourses, however, still advocate for land reforms attuned to gender equality with a neo-classical chord. Gender parity-oriented reforms are less rubost and prone to producing ambivalent outcomes vis-à-vis women’s tenure challenges and aggravate food importation. This study uses evidence from two communities in Cameroon, and Africa to show that gender-sensitive land tenure reforms are crucial in the strive to guaranteeing women’s access to, control and land transfer for appropriate use and for bringing the second High 5s to fruition