Engendering Access to Justice:Grassroots women’s approaches

to securing land rights

Presented by:

Veronica Kanyongo -

Seke Rural Home Based Care & Hospice, Zimbabwe

Participatory Action Research7 countries, 12 implementing partners from

Women’s Land Link Africa (WLLA)

Cameroon:- Ntankah Village Women Common Group InitiativeGhana:- Grassroots Sisterhood FoundationKenya:- Groots KenyaTanzania:- Maasai Women Development OrganizationUganda:- Action for Women in Awakening in Rural

Environment- Slum Women’s Initiative For Development- Uganda Community Based Association for

Women and Children’s WelfareZambia:- Katuba Women’s AssociationZimbabwe:- Ntengwe for Community Development- Ray of Hope Zimbabwe- Seke Rural Home Based Care & Hospice- Zimbabwean Parents of Handicapped Children

Domboshava, Zimbabwe (Oct 2012)

Research QuestionsWhat is community justice from grassroots women’s

perspective?What strategies and

approaches they use to achieve it?

Grassroots Women’s Approach1. Examine overlapping & disjointed legal frameworks2. Increase community awareness of gender justice3. Build new partnerships with a variety of

stakeholders4. Design and implement new community justice

mechanism and processes5. Review, analyze and align cultural practices with

constitutions to deal with cultural practices

CHALLENGESRapid urbanizationHIV and AIDSLarge scale land acquisition & Land Grabbing

Case Study: Seke Rural Home Based Care & HospiceWomen leaders discusing and mapping out strategies on how to have traditional leaders buy-in to womens’ land and propety issues

Case Study: Seke Rural Home Based Care & HospiceSeke Rural Caregivers marching through the township mobilizing the community to join the at the Arena where they are going to talk about Wills writing and Inheritance

Methodology

• Community Mapping• Local to local dialogue • Community Justice

Volunteers (Community Paralegals)

• Community Watchdogs (Whistle Blowers)

• Community Watchdogs (Whistle Blowers)

• Partnerships with key stakeholders