The Role of Women and Men in Land Use and Property Rights in Mt. Elgon Region

Abstract

Gender mainstreaming is a strategy employed to end discrimination against a particular gender and promote equality between men and women using inclusive policies and laws. The Kenyan Government has made great progress in enacting laws aimed at achieving equal benefits and protection of the law in respect to property rights over land. Unfortunately, enforcement remains challenging. With a focus on land ownership and use in Mt. Elgon region, this article seeks to evaluate the impact of gender mainstreaming policies and legal structures, which have been established to help Kenyan women attain equal land rights. The region is an area in the Western part of Kenya near the border with Uganda. It provides an interesting look into land dispute resolution because, apart from being a resource-rich area, it has experienced significant violence related to land use between the years 2006 to 2008, from state and non-state actors. The study concludes that harmful traditional beliefs and cultural practices influence the role gender plays in the access women and men have to land use and property right. Keywords: patrimony, global political economy, gendered political economy, property rights, land rights, gender mainstreaming DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/119-08 Publication date: March 31 st 2022