Gender and access to land

This guide on Gender and access to land has been prepared to support land administrators in governments and their counterparts in civil society who are involved in land access and land administration questions in rural development. It is frequently the case that gender issues are left out or misunderstood in such situations, often with negative results. This guide is designed to show where and why gender inclusion is important in projects and programmes that aim at improving land tenure and land administration arrangements. It provides material to raise awareness of some of the most critical gender issues that threaten access to land and its benefits. The guide emphasizes the importance of developing a better understanding of the situation for women and men when societies are subject to great economic, social and environmental changes. In order to help inform policy and implementation decisions, it identifies indicators for measuring the quality and quantity of access to land and housing before, during and after an intervention. The guide outlines recommended principles for land administration projects from the perspective of national and international organizations, and concludes with more detailed principles for land administration professionals.