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ACCESS TO AND CONTROL OVER LAND FROM A GENDER PERSPECTIVE Beatrice Akua Duncan Supported by: |
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The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries. |
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“From my several years of working experience with women farmers of Africa, I can assure you that if the right environment and incentives were created for women farmers, and the problems facing them now were addressed, the sustainable end of hunger would be a reality” A quotation by the late Dr. Esther Ocloo, award winner of the 1990 Africa Prize for leadership for the sustainable end of hunger. |
APPRECIATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1.1. Study context and objective
1.2 Expected outcomes and activities
1.3 Methodology approach
1.4 Structure of the report
2.1 The role of women in agricultural production
2.2 Gender division of labour
2.3 Security of land tenure and poverty
2.4 Security of land tenure and agricultural productivity
2.5 Land reforms
2.7 Changes of customary laws as a result of socio-economic change
2.8 Importance of kinship with regard to property distribution
3. PROFILES OF THE STUDY AREA, TARGET GROUP AND FARM SECTOR
3.1 Profile of the Volta Region
3.2. Profile of the target group
3.3 Characteristics of the farm sector in the Volta Region3.3.1 Importance of the farm sector
3.3.2 Sources of credit used for farming activities
3.3.3 Gender division of labour in the farm sector
3.3.4 Time allocated to farming and non-farming activities
3.3.5 Changing roles and responsibilities of women in the farm sector
4. ACCESS TO AND CONTROL OVER LAND IN THE VOLTA REGION
4.1 Definitions of “Access” and “Control”
4.2 Access to land
4.3 Access rights of different categories of women to land
4.4 Impact of marriage on access to land
4.5 Common means of acquiring land
4.6 Control over land
4.7 Decision-making with regard to land
4.8 Changes in access to and control over land
4.9 Security of land tenure and agricultural productivity
5. IMPACT OF LEGAL AND CUSTOMARY LAWS ON ACCESS TO AND CONTROL OVER LAND
5.1 Customary inheritance practices
5.2 Perceptions of the customary inheritance system
5.3 Knowledge of relevant legislation affecting land in Ghana
5.4 Sources for obtaining information on legislation affecting land
5.5 Land Disputes
5.6 Use of the State Court System
5.7 Strategies adopted to increase awareness of women’s rights
6. KEY FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1 Key findings
6.2 Conclusion
6.3 Recommendations6.3.1 Increase the utilisation of existing legal legislations, legal aid and legal services
6.3.2 Strengthen women’s capacities to obtain and defend their land rights
6.3.3 Promote gender equity in access to and control over land
6.3.4 Improve the socio-economic status of women
6.3.5 The way forward
ANNEX 1: Administrative Map of Ghana
ANNEX 2: Map of the Volta Region showing districts and communities visited (2001)
ANNEX 3: Interviews with Selected Resource Persons