Land tenure practices and women's right to land : implications for access to natural resources (anglophone Cameroon); research report

Abstract

The study investigates women’s land rights under statutes and customary practices in Cameroon, and the effects on women’s role in the economy. Findings reveal that despite Cameroon’s adherence to universal principles of human rights as inscribed in its constitution, women suffer persistent discrimination when it comes to land rights. The responsibility rests squarely on statutory and customary laws which conflict with one another and are neither explicit nor user friendly. Legal literacy and women’s individual empowerment are critical elements necessary to accompany any land reform that will ensure women’s land rights are a reality and not another empty slogan.