Limited education among women is a significant barrier to their land ownership rights, particularly due to a lack of awareness about their legal entitlements in inheritance matters.
Many widows face property disputes and injustice due to insufficient knowledge of their rights. Land use planning, which aims to allocate and manage land for sustainable development—covering agriculture, environmental conservation, and infrastructure—is a vital yet complex process.
A 2023 report by the National Bureau of Statistics reveals that while 32.5% of Tanzanians aged 15 and above own land, only 29% of these landowners are women.
Although Tanzania's constitution guarantees the right to land ownership for all citizens, traditional beliefs often prevent women from claiming ownership.
Through the Platform for Rural Women, women in various communities are gaining awareness of their right to own land, a critical step toward challenging long-standing societal norms. This knowledge empowers women to actively engage in securing and defending their rights.
In recent celebrations of International Rural Women’s Day and World Food Day, Catherine Mlaga, Chairperson of the Platform for Rural Women, outlined the platform’s strategy to unify women from the Mbeya, Rukwa, Njombe, Iringa, and Songwe regions to discuss and address issues they face.
She emphasized the significance of educating rural women on their rights to land ownership and encouraged them to join the platform to strengthen their collective voice in tackling shared challenges.
The women discussed the urgent need for food security, focusing on ecological farming practices that mitigate climate change effects. They agreed to establish demonstration farms to encourage sustainable agriculture and the preservation of traditional seeds, which are more resilient during droughts.
In addition to addressing land ownership, Mlaga underscored the platform’s role in combatting gender-based violence. This includes promoting women’s security and access to essential resources.
To tackle this issue, the platform launched the "Empower Women to Own Land" campaign, aiming to eliminate societal obstacles preventing women from accessing land.
Although challenges persist, positive changes are emerging, especially in pastoralist communities, where women are increasingly involved in economic activities like farming and land ownership.
Women from various regions shared testimonies on how the platform has influenced their lives. Eloy Saturo, Secretary of the Platform from the Maasai community, shared that she and many others have learned about their land ownership rights.
"Now, many women can own land, a significant achievement in our community, which lagged behind in this regard," she said.
Although the Maasai community primarily relies on pastoralism, Saturo explained that the platform’s support has enabled women to pursue agricultural activities, diversifying their sources of income.
Saturo called upon pastoralist women to support one another, acknowledging that they still lag behind other communities in land ownership.
She also requested additional support from stakeholders and women in other regions to help her community make further progress.
She explained that the platform has greatly enhanced women’s understanding of land ownership, encouraging them to pursue land-based opportunities that can boost their families’ livelihoods and combat poverty.
Benedetha Ngwahya, a Sukuma community member, highlighted the importance of educating women about land ownership, particularly those who face challenges with property inheritance after their husbands’ deaths.
She expressed hope that further education would dispel the belief that land ownership is solely a male right. Dafroza Mwasenga, a Community Development Officer from ADP-Mbozi, confirmed that this awareness has even led to positive changes within families, as men increasingly allow their wives to co-own land.
"Women now understand their rights, which empowers them to confront challenges," Mwasenga noted.
The Platform for Rural Women has become a catalyst for change, empowering rural women to take action on social and economic issues. For this momentum to continue, stakeholders and communities must recognize the importance of women’s land ownership rights and invest in further education for rural women.