Towards gender equality: Strenghtening women's land rights and access to justice - Insights from the LAND-at-scale program

Abstract

To address gender inequalities more effectively in land governance, it is crucial to conduct a thorough evaluation of current approaches. This thesis analyzed the integration of gender perspectives in the LAND-at-scale (LAS) program, focusing on strategiesto enhance women's land rights and access to justice. Qualitative research methods with semi-structured interviews were used to the analyze the theoretical objectives and practical strategies used by the LAS country projects in Uganda, Burundi, Chad, and Mali. To gain nuanced insights into the implementation process, a detailed case study is conducted in Mozambique, emphasizing the impact of local factors on strategy implementation. The central research question explores how LAS incorporates strategies to enhance women's land rights and access to justice, considering gender inequality and challenges faced by project implementers. This study fills this gap by exploring the complexities involved in translating theoretical objectives into practices tailored tospecific contexts. The findings reveal a commitment from LAS to incorporate gender considerations throughout project phases, but also reveals inconsistencies and ambiguities in its gender strategy, raising questions about effective implementation. The LAScountry projects exhibit a common goal of improving land governance and enhancing women’s land rights, with objectives tailored to specific contexts. The projects apply a diverse range to translate these objectives into practice. Most strategies are oriented toward awareness raising and knowledge sharing, stakeholder engagement, and land registration, yet they remain abstract regarding their specific implementation, target groups and methods used to realize intended change. In terms of access to justice, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is mostly used to reduce the barriers that women face in asserting their rights. Challenges faced by project implementers, notably cultural norms, resistance, and gaps between laws and implementation, show the complexityof the practical implementation of strategies to enhance women’s land rights. Additionally, local factors influence strategy implementation as was emphasized by the case study in Mozambique. Factors such as limited state capacity, cultural norms, and poorinfrastructure affect can challenge practical implementation. Furthermore, the case study raises questions about the alignment in priority of implementing organizations and local communities, emphasizing the need to consider the needs of local women in land related interventions. These aspects underscore the complexity of achieving successful outcomes, emphasizing the importance of strategies tailored to the local context, time investments, and collaboration with diverse stakeholders. Despite LAS's dedication to gender equality, ongoing challenges underscore the need for clearer strategies and a comprehensive understanding of their impact on women's lives.