Africa adopts a historic pastoralist women charter
From lived realities to continental commitments, pastoralist women shape the future of land rights, governance, and rangeland resilience Day three of the African Pastoralist Women’s Gathering (APWG) marked a decisive shift from dialogue to action, culminating in the official launch of the African Pastoralist Women’s Charter; a landmark framework set to influence policy, advocacy, and investment across the continent.
Building on earlier discussions, participants sharpened priorities around land rights, governance, gender inclusion, and responsible investment, grounding their contributions in lived realities from across Africa’s rangelands.
At the heart of the discussions was a clear message: secure land tenure is foundational to pastoralist livelihoods and mobility.
He emphasised the need for targeted policy engagement and stronger alignment with global advocacy platforms.
Participants called for concrete mechanisms such as the gazettement of pastoral lands, strengthening communal tenure systems, and ensuring that pastoralist voices are strategically positioned in international policy spaces, including upcoming global engagements.
Women at the center of rangeland economies and governance
Across sessions, the role of women emerged not as peripheral, but central to pastoral systems; economically, socially, and environmentally.
Called for a shift from deficit-based narratives to those that recognise women’s strengths and leadership.
However, structural barriers persist. Discussions highlighted women’s exclusion from decision-making spaces, including peace committees, land governance institutions, and cross-border resource negotiations.
Participants also underscored the need for gender-responsive services, including mobile education systems for pastoralist girls, access to veterinary and extension services, and policies recognising women as independent land rights holders.
Rethinking investment: from extraction to equity
A high-level panel on livestock value chains and responsible rangeland investment reinforced the urgency of aligning investment with community rights and environmental sustainability.
She called for enforceable safeguards, including Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), environmental restoration obligations, and fair compensation frameworks.
Echoing this, Ms Ruth Kihiu, representing the Pastoralist Women Council, challenged prevailing investment models:
Communities should not only host investments but also own and benefit from community-led enterprises as pathways to equitable development.
Participants also warned against the individualisation of communal lands, noting its impact on mobility, conflict, and long-term sustainability.
From advocacy to action: a continental commitment
The day concluded with the official launch of the African Pastoralist Women’s Charter, witnessed by over 200 participants, policymakers, and development partners.
In her keynote address, she underscored the economic and social value of pastoralist women.
She further announced commitments to advance gender-responsive legislation, strengthen land rights, and formally recognise pastoralism as a key economic sector, including a forthcoming parliamentary motion on pastoralist rights.
The charter now sets the stage for sustained advocacy, including upcoming global engagements in which pastoralist women will carry forward a unified voice.
As the gathering closed, one message resonated strongly: this is not an endpoint, but the beginning of a movement, one led by pastoralist women determined to shape the future of land governance, climate resilience, and inclusive development across Africa.
