
Decoding Gender Justice in Land Conflicts Resolution in Rwanda
Rwanda has implemented a land tenure regularization program since 2008
that enabled the adjudication and registration of land rights for both
men and women. However, Rwandan women are vulnerable to land conflicts
because some men do not recognize or respect women’s rights in land.
This study investigates the extent to which government institutions in
Rwanda empower women in claiming and defending their land rights. Data
sources include questionnaire survey, interviews, and the review of
literature on land reform in Rwanda. Findings reveal that Rwandan women
preferably lodge their land claims to local authorities or mediation
committees because the
process of land conflict resolution is fair,
free of charge and faster. However, the most used land conflict
resolution mechanisms cannot enforce its decisions when some men are
against those decisions. There is a need to think of mechanisms to
enforce those decisions.