Land Regularization Process; a Missed Opportunity for Women Empowerment: A Case of Informal Settlements in Tanzania

Abstract

Like many other developing countries, land and property are also fundamental to women's economic empowerment in Tanzania. The purpose of this study was to evaluate opportunity for women empowerment through land regularization process in Mtwara and Kinondoni Municipalities. The data for this study were collected through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with men and women; in-depth interviews with influential people and potential key informants. Questionnaires were administered to men and women house owners. Data were analyzed through Content and Structural Functional Approach, Descriptive and Inferential statistics. The results showed that there were avenues for women to be included in title deeds/residential licenses. The results also showed that regularization made women be part of land owners, which was not the case before.  Moreover, land regularization programs had contributed to the change of attitudes among men as shown through increased shifting of land ownership from customary to statutory that resulted from massive awareness raising programs. The study concluded that land regularization was a potential opportunity for women inclusion and also catalyst for changing men's attitudes on women ownership. The study recommends that there is need for the government to put step by step strategies for land regularization process including structured awareness raising programs to house owners in informal settlement to bring a sense of women empowerment, which was traditionally limited in the past. Furthermore, there is need to put in place a statement in the Land Act No.4 of 1999 in Section 56 to 60 emphasizing on enhancing women inclusion in land regularization process like spouse consent, as stipulated in Special Provision for Mortgage Act, 2008.