A Critical Analysis of Women Rights to Inherit Property in Bukonzo East Constituency, Kasese District

Abstract

ABSTRACT Women in Uganda have made significant strides in achieving the rights to education, employment, and participation in public affairs among others. However, when it comes to the right to inherit property from their parents and husbands, women have been left behind despite Government’s efforts geared towards ensuring that women too are considered for inheritance of property on equal footing with men. The low achievement for women in this area of property inheritance is attributed to traditional customary norms and practices which have created a male-centered and male dominated society across the country. The traditional customary norms and practices favour men as the only persons who can inherit and own property while women are restricted to user rights only. On addition, even when user rights are allowed, the input of a women’s into the development of the property especially land and proceeds derived therefrom are never considered as a contribution that create an interest worth being owned and capable of being bequeathed by a woman. In Uganda, ownership and possession of land especially customary land tenure is dominated by men. This has increasingly put women at a disadvantage. This article identifies the obstacles/causes why women are still being marginalized when it comes to inheritance of property despite the government efforts and the legal framework in place, it also discusses the possible solutions to end the problem, and offers recommendations which includes enhancement of sensitizations and awareness, and closing lacunas that exist in the law.