Rwanda's efforts in advancing women's land rights have been applauded by officials at the ongoing fifth edition of the Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA), that started on November 21 and ends on Friday, November 24 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Alongside Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania's LANDESA, a global land rights and women's charity organization, were praised for their efforts in securing women's land rights through innovative awareness campaigns, including the use of audio books tailored to educate illiterate and underprivileged women.
The CLPA, a biennial gathering convened by the Africa Land Policy Centre (ALPC), provides a critical platform for African Union member states to deliberate on pivotal land-related issues and formulate actionable recommendations.
This year's conference is held under the theme "Promoting Sustainable Land Governance in Africa for Accelerating Implementation of the AfCFTA" - the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Leontine Kanziemo, Advisor at the African Natural Resources Management and Investment Centre, reminded the significance of the AU's 2016 campaign to allocate 30 percent of land to African women by 2025 as a catalyst for Africa's economic transformation.
She underscored the need for continued government investment in supporting women farmers, especially considering the commitment made by African governments in 2003 to allocate 10 percent of public expenditure to agriculture.
"Investment in agriculture means enabling women farmers to overcome obstacles they face and supporting them to build capacity and access markets," Kanziemo emphasized.
Research presented at the conference highlighted that women constitute up to 70 percent of cross-border traders, form 50 percent of the agricultural labour force along the value chain, and represent 90 percent of the labour force in Africa's informal sector, which contributes 85 percent to the continent's total economic activity.
The overarching suggestion is that integrating women's land rights into the AfCFTA represents a pivotal opportunity to advance gender equality, empower women economically, and foster sustainable development in Africa.
By addressing the unique challenges faced by women in accessing and owning land, the AfCFTA can create an enabling environment for women entrepreneurs, facilitate their participation in cross-border trade, and contribute to poverty reduction and inclusive growth.
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Rwanda's success story in this regard is attributed to the passage and implementation of reforms that grant women equal rights to own and use land.
Officials stressed that it is not only about establishing national legal frameworks but also strengthening and aligning them with international human rights standards and effectively enforcing them to protect women's land rights.
"Having well-formed policies is one thing, but ensuring implementation is as critical. The journey is never truly over; there is a need to continue monitoring implementation on the ground, ensuring that women really benefit from their rights," said Dr Didier Milindi Rugema, a Rwandan specialist in land administration and management who was also a member of the scientific committee that organized the CLPA2023.
Dr. Monica Elias Mhoja, Landesa Outreach Director-Africa, recommended specific measures to further support women's land rights. This includes the creation of safe spaces for women, documentation of their issues, provision of legal aid, and sensitization of communities on women's rights to own land.
Additionally, it is crucial to address social issues such as women's land rights, HIV/AIDS infections, the status of single women, and women's ability to work and be breadwinners for the family, she said.
More African countries were called upon to follow suit, ensuring that women's land rights are fully integrated into the AfCFTA's policies, programs, and implementation mechanisms.
This move is not only seen as benefiting women but also as contributing to the overall success and sustainability of the AfCFTA and accelerating Africa's broader development agenda.
