Women in Kenya still denied right to own property through local customs

Although the new Kenyan constitution gives everyone the right to own property and have “equitable access to land”, it does not mention women’s historical landlessness. Only five per cent of women in Kenya currently own land.

Many lose their rights to property after divorce or the death of a spouse. According to human rights experts, women’s socially sanctioned dependence on men leaves them vulnerable to “cultural traditions” that do not recognise women’s ownership of land and other property.

In this predominantly Muslim region, men often use religion as a tool to deprive women of their rights. The customary laws of some ethnic groups even demand that property owned by a woman before or during marriage belongs to her husband.

According to the international NGO, Human Rights Watch, these sub-Saharan laws have a greater influence than civil laws.

Deprived of property and land, a woman is depended solely on male relatives, or making ends meet with physical labour as in the case of Mary Kimani.

Soon after her husband died, Kimani and her children was evicted from the house by her in-laws and now Kimani works as a casual labourer on neighbouring farms.

Read the full story on IPS news.