The Paradox of Gender Equality and Economic Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of Land Rights
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- File Details
- Size: 25MB
- Creator / Author: Joan Addedis
- Resource Type: Africa Capacity Report
- # Download: 254
- Access: Open to Download
January, 2021
Basic Information
Creator / Author
Evelyn Wamboye
Source / Publisher
Center for Global Development
Resource Type
Geographic & Audience Details
Classification & Domains
Abstract
Equal rights and proactive protection of the right for women and girls to inherit and own land in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is important to the expansion of the capabilities of women and girls to lead the kind of lives they value, and have reason to value. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the role of womens ownership and access to land in SSA in determining gender equality and womens economic and social outcomes, and provides suggestions to inform effective gender-sensitive land policies. Using cross-sectional regression analysis, we find that ownership of land by women positively contributes to womens absolute employment. Conversely, results from pairwise correlation showed that lack of ownership of land by women is highly correlated with increased womens unemployment. Despite these findings, the proportion of women who own land in SSA is 40 percent lower than that of men, whereby about 30 percent of women own land in SSA, compared to 70 percent of men. Moreover, women usually acquire this land either through purchase from the market system or marriage.
Keywords
Land inheritance, gender equality, sub-Saharan Africa, Land ownership
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