Tanzania has highlighted significant strides in empowering women and girls to legally own land during a side event at the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 70).
Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Lucy Kabyemera, said the government is committed to creating an enabling environment for women’s land ownership.
She noted that awareness campaigns have been rolled out nationwide to educate communities on the importance of women and girls having secure land rights.
Director of Land, Dr. Upendo Matotola, reported that 28 percent of women in Tanzania now own land, a result of supportive frameworks such as the 2023 National Land Policy.
He said the figure is expected to rise as the policy strengthens protection of women’s land rights, addresses cultural and traditional barriers especially regarding inheritance and improves access to land for women and girls.
Dr. Matotola also highlighted that the digital land service system has simplified land administration and improved access to information, with 34 percent of women having accessed services through the platform.
Khadija Mrisho, Coordinator of the Women’s Land Campaign under the non-governmental organization LANDESA, reaffirmed the commitment to continue educating communities about women’s land rights and addressing restrictive traditions that limit women’s and girls’ access to land.
The side event also featured regional success stories from Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia, showcasing progress in advancing women’s land rights across East Africa.
