By Nyasha Dube, Zvishavane
Most communities have always grappled with hegemonic masculinity, whereby male dominance is made to appear normal, natural and necessary. This has always stood in the way of women acquiring land.
This hierarchical interaction between genders in communities leads to suppression of women’s voices and overemphasized adherence to traditional gender roles.
Issues of women’s land rights are also interlinked with family dynamics and religious beliefs, and this makes it more difficult to advocate for women to own land, or to resolve land ownership disputes.
However Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) has played a major role over the past few years, as the organisation has managed to shift men’s perspectives on women’s land rights.
KAS is operating in Shurugwi, Mutasa and is at inception level in Lupane.
The organisation together with it’s implementing partners MELUCT and Self Help Development Fund (SHDF) has been holding a series of trainings and mentorship to women as primary beneficiaries of the “One World No Hunger” project, traditional leaders as custodians of land and culture, as well as local authorities in a bid to ensure that women are empowered with land rights so that they actively contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth.
The KAS project also aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 2 on zero hunger, achieving food security, elimination of all forms of malnutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.
Women’s Weekly Journal interviewed one of the village heads who is also a KAS Community Based Mobilizer, to find out how the issue of women’s land rights was like before and after KAS intervention.
Village head Farai Masimba from Shurugwi ward 24 says he has taken it upon himself to educate and influence other men in his area, who at first struggled to accept that women can be primary owners of land.
“I have had conversations with males in my village and educated them on how women are burdened with care giving responsibilities when men are at work or when they migrate to urban areas and abroad. Right now we have women who have their own pieces of land and can penetrate agriculture spaces as well as sustain their families,” said village head Masimba.
He also applauded KAS for targeting traditional leaders in this project as this has brought change and development in communities.
Masimba challenged other village heads to support women so they become land owners.
“It is possible for women to own land so let’s support them as they are the ones who care for our families,”
Village head Masimba
There has been a deliberate effort from government to implement legal procedures in acquiring or inheriting land so as to avoid disputes and try to protect women, however gaps still exist.
Legal expert Debra Shiri says issues like joint registration and ownership of land by husband and wife are fair in paper but not in reality.
“The law is trying to protect women but it is not clear cut. Joint registration exists on paper but in reality it tends to get complicated. For example when the husband decides to marry a second wife, the first wife remains in power and is entitled to the land purchased by the husband and second wife, and this is unfair to the second wife,” said Lawyer Shiri.
She added that societal influence also stands in the way of legal processes.
“It is not always about government approval but societies’ mindsets and beliefs as well. People will always question one’s sanity for including their wife’s name on the land permit, and even conclude that the man is being controlled by his wife. All this is a result of patriachal views,”
Legal Expert Debra Shiri
KAS One World No Hunger Project Coordinator Goodhope Ruswa says having men speak out for women’s land rights is still a new phenomenon and more needs to be done to build positive masculinity around land rights advocacy.
“One of the main barriers we identifyed throughout this project is the lack of support from men on women’s land rights. KAS ans partners works with traditional leaders and some men, training them on why it is important for women to also own land. As a result of the several trainings by KAS, we now have chiefs, headmen, village heads (male dominated leadership positions) who support the efforts to strengthen women’s land rights. One of the Chiefs in shurugwi who we work with was quoted saying when women own land, it provides a sense of security and confidence; contributes to better social status in the society; ensures better education, health and nutrition of their children; contributes to the reduction of gender-based violence, among other positive effects,”
KAS Coordinator Goodhope Ruswa