Burkina Faso’s legal framework for land governance recognizes equal rights for men and women. By law, women, just like men, can obtain formal land possession certificates and inherit the land.

However, due to weak land governance institutions, the land law has so far only been implemented in 112 out of 351 districts. Farmers in Tiarako don’t have access to government land registration services, as their district administration has not been equipped yet with the required human and financial resources.

But even when land ownership is formalized and secured, it is frequently done in the name of the family head, leaving other family members without formal land rights. Therefore, married women remain disadvantaged, and patriarchal control of land is likely to persist even where the land law is enforced.

The solution: a complementary instrument to the land law

In partnership with the Burkinabé NGO GRAF and local stakeholders, TMG Think Tank has developed a mechanism in Tiarako that builds on traditional land governance systems. Essentially, arrangements on land use rights are negotiated between the male head of the household and his spouse or other female relatives. The goal is to change existing tenure arrangements toward enhanced equality and security for women.

Read the full article on Social innovations to secure women’s land rights in Burkina Faso.