Civil society representatives across Asia and Africa met in Dhaka this October to talk about the growing impact of climate change on land-based rural people across Asia and Africa. They crafted the ‘Dhaka Declaration,’ which calls on governments to center rural people, including women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples, in climate change policy.
Strong land rights are a crucial prerequisite to the climate resilience and sustainable land management necessary to bolster food security and reach zero hunger.
Gender-equitable SRHR (sexual and reproductive health and rights) and land rights can unlock greater agency and accelerate climate action and justice.
Women and girls are resilient agents of change – and their potential to respond to all crises, from conflict to climate change, is accelerated when they enjoy secure rights to land.
Because youth constitute the majority of the population across Africa, investing in youth access to land is recognized as a key strategy for both economic and agricultural development. A number of countries have embraced this strategy, with Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania among others advancing efforts to improve youth land rights.
We are inspired by the possibility of strengthening women’s land rights as a way to empower women socially and economically. One such potential benefit concerns the ways in which land rights may protect women from domestic or gender-based violence – a relevant topic as the global community observes the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence.
Mars is working with Landesa to create guidance for Mars’ suppliers in their efforts to respect and strengthen land rights. This framework is designed to provide practical steps that suppliers can take to respect the land rights of individuals, families, and communities.
In Bangladesh’s Sundarbans, life revolves around coastal mangrove forests. But as climate change effects worsen, livelihoods are under threat. Read about what global actors at COP27 can do amid the deepening climate crisis.
If we want to improve lives and alleviate poverty, achieve food security globally, and guarantee human rights and full dignity for all, we must invest in land rights for women.
Land laws in India consistently use masculine pronouns and very often refer to men as the primary or exclusive legal subjects. These linguistic choices often produce social consequences that damage and limit the identity, dignity and equal opportunities for women.