We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm – and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset – and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
It is generally accepted that there is more to gain by women having access and control of
productive resources. Societies understand the value and contribution of women in sustaining
livelihoods in most of Africa. However, this has not been translated into actions that make it
possible for women to access and control the resources they need to improve their own lives
and the lives of their families and society as a whole.
Patriarchal attitudes towards the position of women in society continue to undermine women’s
ownership of the most vital resource which is land. Education of women is critical in improving
the position of women and ownership of productive resources. When women are educated,
they are in a better position to earn income which they can invest in assets such as land.
However, attaining a significant level of education for women in the Eastern African subregion is a longer term goal. Girls in a family should be accorded the same treatment so that
they to share family property including land as children in the family. In the campaign on
increasing the ownership of land by women, it makes more sense to begin with pushing for
inheritance rights of girls as daughters in the natal family. When girls have their share of land
as daughters, they enter into marriage relationships with more confidence and stronger
bargaining power which enhances equality and equity at household level.
Communities need to be sensitized more to treasurer girl children and to ensure that they are
entitled to equal share in the family property. This should be supported by laws that enable girl
children and women to inherit property just as other children in the family. The political will
of the leadership of countries in the sub-region and at national levels is an important requisite
for enhancing positive attitudes in society and putting in place laws and policies that protect
women’s ownership of land.
It is our hope that this report will contribute to the continuing debate and advocacy work for
women’s land ownership in the Eastern Africa sub-region.
