A survey conducted in the Kassena-Nanakana Municipality of the Upper East Region has revealed that the lack of adequate knowledge of the national and international laws pertaining to gender equal access to land accounts for the difficulties often encountered by women smallholder farmers when it comes to accessing land.
The survey funded by the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge, (BUSAC) was conducted by the Tampola Young Generation Farmers Cooperative at the Tampola community, one of the communities in the Municipality under the Project dubbed” Advocacy Action: Equal Access to Land to improve Livelihoods of Women in the Kassena Area”.
The findings which was made known at a sensitization programme held at the Tampola community attracted stakeholders including traditional and religious leaders, women, the youth, Assembly members, opinion leaders among others was aimed addressing the challenges affecting women when it comes to land acquisition for farming and other activities.
“Majority of the Chiefs and landlords who are the traditional leaders and custodians of the land themselves are not aware of treaties on equal access to land and as such are not able to implement this laws which promote women equal access to productive resources especially land.”, the research revealed.
The research findings also cited the existence and the use of traditional beliefs and customs as some of the hindrances that lead to the marginalization of many women when it comes to accessing lands in the community levels for agriculture and other purposes.
The survey identified chiefs, landlords, land administration unit, associations and civil society organizations as some of the relevant stakeholders who could play various roles towards ensuring equal access to productive lands. It recommended the need for the sensitization of traditional rulers and community elders to equip them on the knowledge on the laws governing women access to lands especially the national and the international laws.
This, the research noted, would help remove some of the negative traditions that bars women from accessing lands in their communities.
The research also recommended the need for the Municipal Assembly to collaborate with the Traditional Authorities to enact bye-laws to serve as punitive measures for offenders who take advantage of the vulnerability of women and exploit them of their land and other resources to serve as deter people.
“Women should be allowed to have access to lands belonging to their deceased husband on condition that they remain in their deceased husband’s home.
This should be backed by a bylaw which will prevent the husband’s brothers from taking her land.
The Monitor of BUSAC Fund, Mr. Vincent Subbey, underscored the need for duty bearers such as chiefs, land administrators, assemblymen, landlords and family heads to collaborate in dealing with the issue.
The Financial Secretary of the Tampola Young Generation Farmers Cooperative, David Amozebga, explained that the survey clearly identified gender inequality especially women access to agriculture lands and other properties an eminent problem in the Navrongo Municipal Area and that most families were glossing over it with some pretending it was normal.
The Financial Secretary said widows and children are the most affected especially after the demise of their partners and explained that it was against this background that his outfit sought funding support from the BUSAC Fund to help address the issue at stake.
Story by: GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti
