Land disputes undermine women’s secure land rights
Women in Tanzania's Kilosa District are facing significant challenges in securing land rights due to ongoing disputes and encroachment. Despite legal protections, many women are losing access to land, which negatively impacts their livelihoods and economic stability.
Why it matters
Land rights are a fundamental component of gender equality and economic empowerment for women in rural agricultural communities.
Dar es Salaam. Although women have the legal right to own land, some are losing access to it because of disputes that deprive them of opportunities to farm and support their families.
Kilosa District in Morogoro Region is among the areas where women have been affected by land disputes.
Interviews by The Citizen’s sister publication, Mwananchi in Matongolo, Chanzulu and Ilonga villages found that disputes had affected women’s livelihoods and efforts to secure land for economic activities.
Blandina John, a Matongolo resident, said after divorcing her husband, she returned to her family home, where relatives gave her a piece of land to live on with her children.
However, she said the land was later claimed by Abdallah Mjanganja, who said he owned more than 400 acres allocated to him by the village government in 1993.
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