Women and land in rural areas in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Women face approximately the same problems as other social groups such as young men and foreigners in the management of rural land. But unlike the latter, women’ actions are traditionally more limited. It is in this perspective that this study focuses on "Women and Rural Land in Sub-Saharan Africa". The book aims to understand the challenges and issues related to the issue of women and rural land in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, this literature search deals with women's access to rural land in this part of the world and the main land problems they face, especially in rural areas. The study reveals that in sub-Saharan Africa, the legal status of women in terms of access to natural resources is governed by a situation of legal pluralism in which modern law, customary law and often religious law are applicable at the same time. Moreover, in the event of increased land pressure, women are the first to be penalized, as are migrants. The legal provisions adopted to eliminate discrimination and allow equitable access to land resources do not provide specific conditions of access for women, whereas in view of the socio-cultural context unfavorable to women, the guarantee of their land rights requires the taking of specific accompanying measures.