Resource information
Following a November 2012 public roundtable conducted in Kabul through USAID’s Land Reform in Afghanistan (LARA) project, one man was moved to grant portions of his family’s land over to each of his sisters, who had previously been denied the opportunity to inherit any of the property. In Afghanistan, women often lack secure rights to inherit and own land, which makes them more vulnerable to poverty, domestic violence, hunger and homelessness. The LARA project works to secure property rights for Afghan citizens through improved institutional, policy, and legal systems.
Through public outreach efforts and community consultations, the LARA project is expected to improve vulnerable populations’ awareness of and ability to exercise their property rights. The roundtable in Kabul was held in the Aga Khail village with members of the Kabul Provincial Council, representatives of the Afghan judicial force, members of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA) and local elders. After listening to women share stories of the hardships they faced in trying to claim land inheritance, Haji Noorullah decided to share with his sisters the land he inherited from his father ten years earlier. He says that he has received support from members of the community and believes that other men will follow his lead.
In December, the LARA project and MOWA launched a national public information and awareness campaign on Afghan women’s rights to inherit and own land and property.
