Focus turns to role of women at 2nd Symposium on Land Governance

Women constitute a significant proportion of 70% of the agricultural workforce, yet their access to, ownership of, and control over land remain severely constrained by socio-cultural norms and legal limitations

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Parliamentarians Land Management Forum (UPLMF), in collaboration with key partners, will host the 2nd Symposium on Governance in Kampala on June 27^th in Kampala.

Building on the inaugural 2024 symposium, which emphasized the critical role of land tenure security in promoting climate resilience and food security, this year’s symposium shifts the focus to women’s land rights, under the theme “Securing Women’s Agricultural Land Ownership: A Political and Development Imperative.”

The symposium will highlight the urgent need to address disparities in land ownership.

According to UPLMF, land remains a foundational resource in Uganda, central to livelihoods, economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social stability. They stress that equitable access and women’s agricultural land ownership are key issues that must be addressed for Uganda to achieve gender equality, food security, and sustainable rural development.

“With agriculture employing the majority of Uganda’s population, particularly women, ensuring equitable access to agricultural land is vital for inclusive development. Women constitute a significant proportion of 70% of the agricultural workforce, yet their access to, ownership of, and control over land remain severely constrained by socio-cultural norms and legal limitations,” organisers of the symposium said in a statement

The symposium, among other things, aims to develop a set of binding commitments for political leaders, including gender-responsive land governance measures. Key participants and stakeholders, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), will participate in reviewing existing policies and ensuring that land governance priorities, including women’s agricultural land ownership, are integrated into Uganda’s National Development Plan IV (NDP IV).

Discussions will address critical issues such as land tenure security, land conflicts, women’s land rights and access to agricultural land, and land availability for investment and development.

UPLMF is organizing the 2025 symposium in partnership with several government and civil society stakeholders. These include the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development; Parliament; the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries; the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development; Oxfam; IGAD; KCCA; the Uganda Land Alliance; the National Planning Authority; FRA Uganda; Habitat for Humanity; and Cordaid.