Children’s property and inheritance rights and their livelihoods: The context of HIV and AIDS in Southern and East Africa

This paper focuses on legal and institutional aspects of children’s property and inheritance rights in Southern and East Africa. Chapter 2 discusses violations of children’s property and inheritance rights and discusses how the spread of HIV/AIDS has contributed to the violations. Chapter 3 assesses several norms of customary law that aim to protect children’s property and inheritance rights as well as the current practices of customary law that—in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic—serve to complicate and limit children’s ability to maintain their rights. Chapter 4 reviews and assesses a selection of international laws and national laws from the countries in the region that influence children’s property and inheritance rights, emphasizing succession and land laws. Several gaps in national legislation and policy that need to be addressed are identified.