From October 7th to 10th, 2024, KELIN brought together 27 women from Kajiado County, Kenya, for an engaging social norms training aimed at promoting women’s land rights. Using the Securing Your Family’s Future (SYFF) curriculum, created in partnership with organizations from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda,[1] the training focused on shifting cultural attitudes toward equitable land ownership. The women participated in lively discussions and were equipped with communication skills to become strong advocates for gender equality in their communities.
Over the years, there has been demonstrable misconception of cultural perceptions and attitudes around women and land ownership in varied Kenyan communities. This has hindered the realization of constitutional entitlement and realization of land rights. The propagation of the perceived cultures and biases contributed to many women being reluctant to speak up on land rights especially as the popular narrative was that this was a resource solely owned by men. This undermined their meaningful engagement in the decision-making spaces, with many being disinherited and also fueled vices such as gender-based violence.
The SYFF Women Course was developed to revamp the constitutional values of non-discrimination by sensitizing communities about equitable norms in the realization of human rights. The training augments knowledge and messaging for social change to voice the impact of culture, biased practices, misconceived norms, and lack of awareness as the impediments to women claiming their right to land and property. It further empowers individuals to develop action points that promote gender transformative and workable outcomes related to land and inheritance within their communities.
At the end of the four days training, women exhibited a knowledge increase on their rights to own land and committed to register their marriages, to further secure joint land ownership with their spouses. The misconception held that having a will is a bad omen was also debunked, and the women left the training viewing it as being crucial to estate planning.
KELIN remains steadfast in investing in these initiatives, with the aim of collectively working towards a more equitable society where women can confidently assert their rights and advocate for themselves and others. One of the participants referred to KELIN as “Saruni” meaning redeemer having been empowered to reclaim her right to land and property. The feedback session also highlighted a critical need for KELIN to subsequently host a legal aid clinic in Kajiado and neighboring sub-counties to effectively address the ongoing violations occurring at the community level.
To contribute to the discussions on this forum, follow KELIN on our social media platforms using the hashtag: #EquitableLandRights #WLPRights #
Twitter: @KELINKenya @SYFFKenya
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya
For more information, please contact.
Kenneth Otieno
Programme Officer.
P O Box 112 – 00202 KNH Nairobi,
Tel: 020, 2515790 │Mobile: +254790339964
E-mail: kotieno@kelinkenya.org
Website: www.kelinkenya.org
[1] KELIN from Kenya, Pastoral Women’s Council; and Uganda Community Based Association for Child Welfare
