Land rights are at the heart of economic empowerment in Africa, and ensuring women’s access to land is crucial for gender equality and sustainable development. While land ownership plays a vital role in shaping the future of communities across the continent, women in many African countries face significant barriers to owning or securing land. Egypt, as one of the key nations in Africa, is taking steps to address these challenges. In December 2024, Egypt will host a critical review meeting organized by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) to assess draft guidelines on women’s land rights and tenure security. This event will be a key moment for Egypt to engage in advancing the African Union’s (AU) gender agenda and land policies.
Egypt’s Role in Advancing Women’s Land Rights
Egypt’s involvement in shaping AU land policies is essential to promoting gender equality in land tenure. As a country with a complex legal and social framework surrounding land ownership, Egypt’s contribution to the review of the guidelines on women’s land rights is an opportunity to ensure that these policies align with both continental and national priorities.
The AU has committed to a 30% target for documented women’s land rights, a decision that aims to improve women’s land access across the continent. This 30% campaign, established in 2016 by the AU’s Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water, and Environment, has been a driving force behind land reforms throughout Africa. Egypt, as a key member state, is critical in translating these policies into practical, on-the-ground changes.
Addressing Egypt’s Unique Land Challenges
While Egypt is making progress, land tenure issues remain a significant challenge, especially for women. Land laws and policies often do not provide women with equal rights or access to land, leaving them vulnerable to land insecurity. Social and cultural barriers further complicate women’s ability to own or inherit land.
Joan Kagwanja, Coordinator of the AU African Land Policy Centre (ALPC), hosted by the ECA, highlights the need for policies that address these inequalities. She states, “It’s about ensuring that land laws provide equitable access to land and resources for all, including the youth and other vulnerable groups.” The review process in Egypt will focus on addressing these gaps, with particular emphasis on ensuring that women can access land with legal backing and security.
The Review Meeting: A Participatory Approach
The review meeting in Egypt, set for December 10-12, 2024, will bring together various stakeholders—including government representatives, women’s rights organizations, and land experts—to evaluate and refine the draft guidelines for women’s land rights and tenure security. A participatory approach is at the heart of this process. Involving women and other key stakeholders ensures that the guidelines reflect the lived realities of those most affected by land insecurity.
Kagwanja emphasizes the importance of stakeholder engagement, saying, “Reviews such as the one in Egypt are key to strengthening the security of land tenure for women and require active engagement by stakeholders, particularly relevant ministries.” Egypt’s active involvement in this process is crucial, as it allows for the guidelines to be both practical and culturally sensitive, addressing the unique needs of Egyptian women.
Tailoring Guidelines to Egypt’s Context
While the AU’s land policy goals provide a general framework, the guidelines being reviewed in Egypt must be tailored to local contexts. Land issues in Egypt differ from those in other African nations, so ensuring that the guidelines are adaptable is critical for their success. The review process in Egypt aims to develop guidelines that are both culturally sensitive and practically applicable, ensuring that they can be effectively implemented in the Egyptian context.
Kagwanja explains, “A part of this work is ensuring the guidelines are practical, comprehensive, useful, and reflective of the diverse contexts across Africa; everyone involved, including affected women, is central to ensuring the guidelines are technically sound, culturally sensitive, and readily applicable.”
This process ensures that the guidelines will work in harmony with Egypt’s existing land laws, while also advancing the AU’s broader gender agenda. By focusing on the Egyptian context, the guidelines will be designed to address the country’s specific challenges, such as limited land inheritance rights for women and the economic barriers that often prevent women from securing land.
Moving Forward: A Collective Effort
The review process in Egypt is just one of many steps in advancing women’s land rights across Africa. The AU’s commitment to addressing gender-based land issues requires the active participation of member states, local communities, and civil society. As Kagwanja notes, “Everyone involved, including affected women, is central to ensuring that the guidelines are technically sound, culturally sensitive, and readily applicable.”
Ultimately, the success of these initiatives will depend on continued collaboration and engagement at all levels. With concerted effort, Africa can make significant strides in ensuring that women have secure, documented land rights, contributing to both gender equity and sustainable development.
