Adopting a gender-transformative approach to land governance empowers women parliamentarians to champion equitable tenure and climate-resilient development across the IGAD region. It demonstrates how embedding women’s voices in legislative oversight via targeted national and regional dialogues and tenure-security reforms can unlock inclusive policy, strengthen gender- sensitive budgeting and catalyse sustainable management of land and natural resources.
The brief aligns with the AU’s Agenda 2063 and Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa, the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure and the 2030 Agenda, especially SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 5 (Gender Equality), 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land). Approximately 80% of women in the IGAD region do not own land and can only access it through male relatives or spouses, undermining women’s capacity to invest in long-term sustainable land use, access financial services, and adapt to climate risks. Land ownership is a critical pillar of women’s economic empowerment and a key component in building diversified, climate-resilient livelihoods for themselves, their families, and communities.
The brief recommends a number of measures, including:
- Secure land rights for all, especially for women, across all tenure systems.
- Fast-track the finalisation and adoption of the National Gender and Climate Change Strategy, ensuring Parliament engages the key MDAs.
- Prioritise public financing and reform the Uganda Land Fund to support especially women and vulnerable groups in land acquisition, registration, and redress of historical land injustices;
- Support self-financing land registration models, including community co-financing schemes and targeted subsidies for women as an affirmative action strategy.
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