GROOTS KENYA
www.grootskenya.org/sitez
Women’s access and control of land and
the power shifts that is required to
allow women decisions making in this
area within a rapidly urbanizing world
INTRODUCTION
• Land and buildings represent 50% of a countries wealth
and thus tenure insecurity is the primary source of
instability and conflicts if there exits
• Land does not increase in size neither does it decrease.
• Women play a big role in ensuring that their future
generations have a place to claim as theirs
• Secure tenure that the women and the community at
large can access a space they can obtain livelihood and
shelter without fear of being evicted
• Security of tenure and development therefore go hand
in hand.
WOMEN ACCESS TO LAND
• In Africa, women have access to land
• They can till lands and they can have a place
to habit
• As long as they have male counterparts
• When the worst happens and their spouses
pass, the women face a challenge of
disinheritance.
• Therefore access to land is considered not
enough for women
WOMEN CONTROL OF LAND
• Women need to move to the next level of
administration and management of land
regardless of their situations.
• Strategies have to be put in place to ensure
that women not only have access to land but
also can make decisions regarding how such
land is administered and managed.
CONT’D…
• We bring sustainable impact by not only giving
women safety nets but also giving them cargo
nets
(Empower them to claim for their space in
administration and management of land
instead of constantly solving problems of
disinheritances of land by in-laws and close relatives
only besides solving cases arising from ignorance)
PARADIGM SHIFT IN POWER
• The Kenya Constitution has allowed women to
have rights regarding ownership, administration
and Management of land for their households
• We have to respect and consider this as a
milestone towards ensuring that all people are
treated as equal and having the rights as humans.
• Building on this, GROOTS Kenya has and is
ensuring that women have voices and influence
towards administration and management of land
be it Public, Communal and/or even Private
CONT’D…
This can be done through a suggested GROOTS
KENYA MODEL of grassroots women empowerment
Achieved through:
• Advocacy
• Capacity Building
• Networking
• Rallying
• Amplifying
Some of the Key Models Achieved
• Community Land and Property Watch Dog
Groups
• Home Based Care Alliance
• Champions for Transformative Leadership
• On Line Inventory of Public Land
(www.kijabemap.org)
CONCLUSION
• So much needs to be done
• In ensuring that grassroots women actively take
part in administration and management of land,
and this space to be acknowledged by everyone
not theoretically but most importantly,
practically.
• We struggle with the Ministry of land, housing
and planning to ensure that their development
visions encompass women representation.
THANK YOU