Land corruption eroding women’s rights in Ghana » (Land Portal)

le 23/01/2017

In Ghana, land is an indispensable asset. It’s a source of livelihood and social identity, and men and women should have equal opportunities to benefit from it. But when entrenched patriarchy tips the power scales, and corruption reinforces cultural norms, the impact on women can be devastating.

A recent survey reveals that one in three Ghanaians have been asked to pay a bribe for land-related services in recent years. The study was done by the Ghana Integrity Initiative, the local chapter of Transparency International in Ghana.

While an equal number of men and women respondents said they had been asked for a bribe or admitted to paying a bribe, the survey showed women mainly paid a bribe to prevent eviction – hinting at their vulnerable position in society, while men did so to improve their tenure security or speed up a land transaction.

About 78% of land in Ghana is directly governed by traditional authorities, so the effects of gender-biased customary land tenure rules are far-reaching.

Read more on the Land Portal here.

Source : Land Portal