Kilimanjaro initiative pursues land rights for African Women
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Women farmers from 22 African countries gathered in Arusha, Tanzania, to advance a decade-long campaign for land ownership rights.
The Kilimanjaro Initiative began in 2016 with 30 women climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to present demands to governments and the African Union. Since then, the group has focused on collecting data to demonstrate the extent of land ownership among rural African women, as official statistics are currently lacking across the continent. Dr.
Janet Edeme of the African Union Commission explained that securing land rights for women is crucial for food security, because most of the continent’s food comes from small-scale farmers. Delegates also noted that women need official land ownership to receive compensation after disasters like floods, which are expected with the El-Nino weather pattern. Several countries are responding to the initiative by simplifying land laws.
Tanzania, for example, is translating over 435 laws into Kiswahili, a widely spoken local language, and supporting women in leadership roles. Organizations like ActionAid and Oxfam International continue to support the initiative, reporting that women are increasingly influencing policies and asserting their property rights.
