IGAD Regional Dialogue on Gender, Land, and Climate Resilience: Women Parliamentarians Push for Inclusive Policy Action
0
0
By James Nyaigoti,
A landmark Regional Dialogue hosted by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) kicked off at Nairobi’s Safari Park Hotel, bringing together women parliamentarians, government leaders, and regional stakeholders to chart a gender-responsive path toward secure land rights and climate resilience across East Africa.
The three-day forum, running from July 9 to 11, unites policymakers from IGAD’s eight member states to address deeply entrenched gender disparities in land ownership, explore the impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities, and develop practical strategies that prioritize women’s participation in land governance.
Present at the forum were distinguished Members of Parliament from IGAD countries, including the Kenyan Chair of the Regional Integration Committee, Hon. Irene Nyakerario Mayaka. Also in attendance were senior government officials, civil society leaders, development partners, and grassroots women leaders, signaling the region’s growing commitment to inclusive policy transformation.
A Reckoning with Reality
In his keynote address, IGAD Deputy Executive Secretary H.E. Mohamed Abdi Ware set a powerful tone, urging participants to move from dialogue to decisive action.
“Today, we are not just here to talk,” he declared. “We are here because women across Africa—who cultivate 70% of our food—still own less than 20% of the land. This isn’t just unjust. It’s an economic crisis. When women are excluded from owning the land they till, and from the climate governance structures that decide their future, the entire region loses.”
He emphasized that land generates up to 90% of wealth in the IGAD region, yet women hold less than 10% of this value.
“Research shows that equal access to land could boost yields by 20–30% and reduce global hunger by 17%. The solution is here, in this room,” he urged.
From Commitment to Implementation
Since 2021, IGAD has been actively implementing its Women’s Land Rights Agenda. According to Ware, national dialogues in six countries have already engaged 260 parliamentarians, yielding tangible outcomes such as policy briefs and cross-border collaboration networks.
“Your votes, your voices, and your budgets are powerful tools,” Ware told the women legislators. “You are architects of the future. You can break centuries-old barriers.”
The Nairobi dialogue seeks to build upon these efforts with two key outcomes: the establishment of a Permanent Regional Platform for Women Parliamentarians, and the creation of actionable policy roadmaps that can be implemented immediately in the respective countries.
Hon. Irene Mayaka: “Laws Exist, But Awareness Lags”
Kenya’s Hon. Irene Nyakerario Mayaka, Chair of the Regional Integration Committee, echoed the urgency for societal transformation.
“We must ensure our people understand that laws already exist to safeguard women’s land rights,” she noted. “However, we continue to face challenges in actualizing these rights due to entrenched cultural norms and systemic discrimination.”
Hon. Mayaka emphasized the need for inclusive public education, pointing out that while policy frameworks are in place, “there remains a significant gap in societal awareness and acceptance of women’s rightful place in land ownership and governance.”
Kenya’s Reform Journey: Legal, Policy, and Structural Overhaul
Kenya’s Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development outlined its ongoing efforts to align national development with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), Vision 2030, and global frameworks like the AU Agenda 2063 and UN Agenda 2030.
The Ministry reaffirmed its focus on secure land tenure, digitalization of land processes, urban planning, and affordable housing as critical enablers of economic transformation.
Key reform milestones in Kenya include:
Legal Reforms: Adoption of numerous land-related statutes such as the Land Act (2012), Land Registration Act (2012), Matrimonial Property Act (2013), and Community Land Act (2016).
Policy Frameworks: National Land Policy (2009), Land Use Policy (2017), and the Kenya Women Land Rights Agenda (2021–2030).
Institutional Developments: Establishment of a Gender Unit within the State Department, as well as digitization of land registries to enhance transparency and security.
The Ministry acknowledged historical land injustices rooted in customary laws—governing over 65% of land in Kenya—where inheritance and land ownership by women remain severely restricted. “We must reform traditional dispute resolution mechanisms, which are often male-dominated, to accommodate equitable justice,” the Ministry stated.
Kilimanjaro Initiative and the Regional Push for Women’s Voices
The forum also recognized the Kilimanjaro Initiative, a regional movement that mobilized rural women to articulate their land rights demands, culminating in a charter calling for gender-responsive governance in land and natural resource management.
The initiative laid the groundwork for the Kenya Women Land Rights Agenda, which sets out to:
Secure legally recognized land tenure for women;
Enhance women’s participation in land governance and planning;
Reform discriminatory customary and legal practices;
Address systemic social and economic inequalities.
The Way Forward: A Regional Call to Action
As the dialogue continues, participants are expected to produce a robust policy roadmap and establish the long-awaited Regional Platform for Women Parliamentarians, ensuring that gender equality in land rights and climate governance remains a top legislative priority beyond political cycles.
“We must not let these resolutions become just another beautiful document gathering dust,” Ware reminded the forum. “The women working our lands, facing climate disasters, and raising our next generation need our action—not our intentions.”
Partners and Support
The IGAD dialogue has been supported by key development partners, notably Sweden, Germany (GIZ-SLGA Project), UN Women, and other stakeholders from the United Nations and African Union. Their backing has been instrumental in facilitating research, grassroots mobilization, and regional cooperation.
As the Nairobi dialogue draws to a close, all eyes will be on the participating governments and parliamentarians to ensure that the momentum built over these three days translates into sustained, inclusive transformation—anchored on equity, justice, and resilience.
About The Author
