2023-24 Trócaire Annual ROI Annual Report
Download HereNew Act guarantees women’s equal rights and access to land
Kadiatu Ibrahim Kamara (30), a mother-of-two from Malambay community, in Kambia district, Sierra Leone has become the first woman in her family to own land thanks to a new historic Land Rights Act that was passed by the government of Sierra Leone in August 2022.
The Customary Land Rights Act 2022 guarantees women’s equal rights and access to land and bans industrial development in protected, conserved or ecologically sensitive areas.
Previously, Kadiatu and her mother Aminata Bangura were left without land when Kadiatu’s father passed away suddenly. Aminata returned home to her family’s land but was told by her brothers that she was not entitled to a plot on her family’s land because she was a woman.
“My mother was entitled to a plot of land because her father had left it to all his children, but the men in our family said she couldn’t own land because she was a woman,” Kadiatu says.
Trócaire and local partners* advocated for the Customary Land Rights Act 2022 and provided training to women in Sierra Leone to know their land rights. Trócaire and partners were also involved in consultations around land rights during the drafting of the bill.
“The Act is important not only for the access and ownership it provides women and future generations, but also for taking them out of extreme poverty and over-dependency on men,” said Sudie Sellu, Trócaire’s Women’s Empowerment advisor.
Kadiatu received training from Trócaire and ABC and challenged her male family member’s over access to the land.
“I learned that my mother and I could not be discriminated against just because we were women,” Kadiatu says.
“The town chief took our side and said the Land Act supports women to own land. My uncle said he accepted the town chief’s decision to re-allocate the land to me and my mother. Some other male family members argued with the decision, but they eventually came around because of the Land Act.”
“We are very grateful to Trócaire and ABC-D for their training on our land rights. Without the knowledge, we cannot fight for our rights to the land.”
Kadiatu says her family’s life has changed drastically since she received ownership of the land.
“Before, we couldn’t even afford five cups of rice for the family. Now that we own the land, we can grow our own rice for our family to eat and sell extra produce. The income has allowed me to buy another plot of land to grow other crops. I am also building a new home for my children and have enrolled in a teaching course to further my education. Knowing my rights has allowed me to leave a life of poverty behind.”
Read More: One Day: Women win the right to own their land
Kadiatu has continued to work on women’s rights and is the secretary of Kambia’s District Women’s Unite Network and the Youth Chairlady in her community.
“Based on the women’s empowerment training I received, if there are no women in high positions in my community, I will raise my hand and ask why.”
“This land is now ours. I am very proud to be a woman and to know my rights. There are more women in the community who are now challenging land ownership.”
*Association for the Wellbeing of Rural Communities and Development (ABC-D), Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDHR) and Women’s Forum for Human Rights and Democracy (WOFHRAD)