Participants take part in group discussions at the Women Property Rights Training Picture By: KELIN/Regina Mwanza
Widows affected by HIV from Homa Bay and Kisumu counties have been trained on property rights and how to enforce them.
The forum, which took place in Kisumu County from 25 to 27 August, 2014 was aimed at empowering 20 widows from the two counties with knowledge on their rights, and equipping them with the necessary skills to enforce them.
The widows were trained on the link between human rights, HIV and law in regard to women property rights. They watched a video on the Cultural Structures Project by KELIN soon after they shared their experiences, and identified the key challenges faced in the enjoyment of legal rights in their cultural settings.
They were also familiarized with the provisions of the Land Act 2012, especially the provisions protecting the rights of women in regard to property. In addition, they identified human rights violations and the procedures of enforcing them in various government institutions mandated to protect human rights.
Linnet Odida the County Director Gender & Social Services, who facilitated the training, noted that protecting women’s land rights increases their economic security, strengthening their ability to manage the impact of HIV. When women’s rights to property are upheld, those who are heads of households affected by HIV and AIDS are better able to mitigate the negative economic and social consequences, she said.
In an effort to mitigate the vulnerability of women living with, or affected by HIV to human rights violations in relation to property rights, KELIN conducted a capacity building workshop for widows on women property rights and how to enforce them.
The training ended with the widows committing to disseminate the information they acquired during the training. They promised to forward cases of violation of their rights to KELIN and the other constitutionally mandated bodies without fear of being ostracized by their communities. Article 60 guarantees every person the right to either individually or in association with others, to acquire and own property. The full workshop report will be available on the website in due course.
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