Right rights, right?

Do you remember this photo caption in Spore 93: 'Many African farmers have no land rights - their husbands do'? In a nutshell, this reflects the uncertain legal status of most women in agricultural economies. Changing both formal and customary laws in favour of women's rights is only one side of the coin, the awareness of women of their rights and their ability to claim these rights is the important other. These issues were in the limelight at a CTA co-seminar held in Kampala, Uganda in 2001, reported in Spore 93, with that photo. The seminar proceedings have been re-worked into a comprehensive book on the legal environment of women and their role in the agricultural economies of Eastern and Southern Africa. It is a good reader on the topic with some practical and absolutely do-able recommendations, such as setting up legal literacy programmes, establishing legal aid centres and using all kinds of available media to disseminate legal information to women. The Economic Role of Women in Agricultural and Rural Development: Revisiting the Legal Environment Summary report of a CTA seminar, held in Kampala, Uganda, 19-23 February 2001. CTA, 2002. 80 pp. ISBN 92 9081 2621 CTA number 1113. 10 credit points Downloadable from: www.cta.int/pubs/women/index.htmDo you remember this photo caption in Spore 93: 'Many African farmers have no land rights - their husbands do'