An Assessment on Women's Equal Access and control over Land Rights

Land is a very decisive factor for the livelihoods of human beings, as it has political, economic, social and cultural intrinsic value. Equitable access to land is a human right issue and its discrimination is regarded as violation of human rights. Women are the most marginalized group of the society in relation to accessing and controlling rural land in Ethiopia. The main challenge for an effective implementation of women's right to rural land in the country is largely attributable to the negative attitudes and harmful practices which deny a woman's right to own, administer property and control the rural land. This study reveal that women do not have a customary right to inherit land from their family; and the control of land during marriage falls chiefly under the control of their husband. Besides, a woman cannot control the fruits of the land as she does not successfully involve in household decision making. Worst of all, the study proved that after divorce, a woman has to leave her husband's home and look for another marriage without claiming her share of the matrimonial property.