APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Integrating women’s land rights into the African continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) represents a significant opportunity to advance gender equality, empower women economically, and drive sustainable development in Africa, leaders and land experts have said.
The call was made at the Fifth Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA) which is underway in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, according to the press release issued by UNECA on Wednesday.
The leaders and experts said 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.
Judith Nabakooba, Uganda’s Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development said there is a need for Africa to have good land governance policies that strengthen women‘s rights to land to achieve fair and sustainable outcomes for all.
National legal frameworks should be strengthened, aligned with international human rights standards, and effectively enforced to protect women’s land rights. This requires addressing discriminatory laws and practices, raising awareness of women’s land rights, and providing legal aid and support services to women facing land-related disputes.
The Ugandan minister said collaboration among governments, civil society organizations, women’s rights groups, and private sector entities is crucial for successfully integrating women’s land rights into the AfCFTA.
“Furthermore, partnerships should be forged to develop gender-responsive trade policies, provide technical support, and implement capacity-building programs,” Nabakooba said
Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment noted that there have been significant strides since the last CLPA in advancing land policies across the African Union Member States.
“Two years ago, we convened to address the challenges impeding sustainable land governance, and I am pleased to report that there has been a noticeable momentum in the implementation of policies aimed at fostering sustainable land administration practices,” said Sacko.
“One significant area of progress pertains to the advancement of women’s land rights, in alignment with the African Union’s agenda on land. Through targeted policy interventions, legal reforms, and awareness campaigns, we have witnessed tangible progress in elevating the status of women as key stakeholders in land governance.”
“It is imperative that stakeholders work together to ensure that women’s land rights are fully integrated into the AfCFTA’s policies, programs, and implementation mechanisms,” said Robert Lisinge, Chief of the Energy, Infrastructure and Services Section of the Private Sector Development and Finance Division
“This will not only benefit women and contribute to the overall success and sustainability of the AfCFTA but also accelerate Africa’s development agenda.”
He said that sound land governance systems are essential to facilitating youth, women, communities, and the private sector to engage and benefit from AfCFTA and digitalization.
MG/abj/APA