Assessing the impact of cultural practices on womens land rights.

Abstract

Women's land rights remain largely constrained due to entrenched cultural practices that prioritise male ownership and control over land. The patriarchal structure in many Ugandan communities is reflected in customs and traditional inheritance systems that perpetuate the marginalisation of women in land transactions. The continued exclusion of women from land ownership has far-reaching implications on their economic independence, social status, and overall well-being. Without secure land rights, women lack collateral for financial support, limiting their ability to invest in agricultural productivity and entrepreneurial ventures. Additionally, their dependence on male relatives or spouses for access to land reduces their bargaining power and autonomy in household and community matters. This research investigated the impact of cultural practices on women’s land rights in Namasagali Sub-County, Kamuli District. The study was guided by the understanding that, despite the existence of legal frameworks promoting gender equality in land ownership, cultural norms and traditional systems continue to limit women’s access to, control over, and inheritance of land. A descriptive research design was employed, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data were gathered from 107 respondents through structured questionnaires and key informant interviews. The findings indicate that women are frequently excluded from family land inheritance due to deep-rooted cultural beliefs, are often dependent on male relatives for land-related decisions, and face significant social stigma when challenging traditional norms. The statistical analysis indicated that cultural practices have a weak and statistically insignificant effect on women’s land rights. The correlation between cultural practices and women’s land rights is positive but very low (R = 0.179), and the regression model explains only 3.2% of the variation in women’s land rights, which is not meaningful in practical terms. It was concluded that; these findings highlight the complexity of women’s access to land, suggesting that other factors such as legal frameworks, economic conditions, and institutional policies may have a more significant role in shaping women’s land ownership and rights in the community Moreover, traditional leaders were found to exert considerable influence over land rights decisions, further entrenching gender disparities. The study concludes that cultural practices remain a major barrier to the realization of women’s land rights. It recommends targeted policy measures to engage traditional leaders, strengthen legal awareness, and promote community-level sensitization. Further research is encouraged to assess the long-term impact of legal empowerment and socioeconomic support mechanisms on women’s land ownership