The female gender for a long time have face a lot of discrimination when it comes to their land share. In the Africa context, women lived a life sidelined with various activities which were considered as men’s job. For example, in some communities, during the onset of farming it is men to start the farming. Agree or disagree if planting should take place because the land belongs to them. In matters of finances, if a commercial land is sold, it is the men who receive the money and the large part of the share and little for the women. And other several land deals that see only the men taking part and not the women.
Before the inception of the gender land constitutional rule on the equal share of land between men and women, there had been a lot of land injustices for women. Both in the share of land and who has voice over the land between siblings and married families. Today, we have a gender equality and great feminism works that have put the cases in check. But the Tanzanian and Mozambique scenario is different.
Women don’t get equal share of the commercial land deals, why?
Today, buying and selling of land is huge investment and many millionaires want to invest in real estate which has huge lifetime profits. For that reason, there are many willing buyers and willing sellers both in urban and rural areas. Probably you have witnessed a selling of land in your family. Who got the huge share? And why? You definitely have an answer, let’s see the Tanzania and Mozambique case.
Despite the Tanzanian and Mozambique land laws requires investors to pay households whenever they acquire collectively owned land. However, this on many cases tend to benefit men while women are shortchanged. And if at all they get payments, it is just little part even if the land belong to them.
Gender equity, in particular, forbids discrimination against women by requiring buyers to share land money at the household level. For reason that men are traditionally seen as the head of the household in both the countries. And they alone can collect money for the land sale on behalf of their families denying the women the good share.
For example, statistics shows that less than 15 percent of those who received payment from Sun Biofuels in Vilabwa were women. In Malanga, many separated husbands received checks from land compensation for their wives. Because the government still consider them as the head of their families.
Women get shortchanged in most land deals
Even when women manage to get compensation for their lands, many get little payments than men in their communities. For instance, in most land deals in Vilabwa, men received four to six times more money for their land then what women receive. Such differences occur for several gender bias reasons which puts men above women in matters of land. For example, in most cases it is the men who own full land rights. Also, women generally own small plots compared to men, another factor contributing to small payments. And lastly women siblings are generally given a small share of land with a notion that they will acquire land from his husband’s family. These biased deeds are the reasons why women always face discrimination when it comes to land compensation and owning of lands
Last words
In my opinion, I want to disregard the above reasons and strongly support women in both acquiring equal share and good compensations. We are equal, women too, need independence. Have commercial land which she can own or sell to support herself and the family. It is her right to own land and men should respect that. Let’s all preach equality, equity and have a fair gender balance in all spheres of life.
More:
