Closing the gap for women’s land rights in Uganda
Every year, International Women’s Day serves as a moment not only to celebrate progress toward gender equality but also to confront the realities that remain unresolved. In 2026, that reflection carries even greater significance as the global community marks the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 (IYRP 2026) and the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 (IYWF 2026). Together, these global observances highlight a simple but powerful truth: women are central to land stewardship, food systems, and rural livelihoods, yet their rights to land remain among the most fragile.
In Uganda, important legal and policy frameworks exist to support gender equality in land ownership and governance. The Constitution guarantees equal rights for men and women to own land, both within marriage and beyond it. The Land Act reinforces these principles through provisions, such as spousal consent requirements for the sale, transfer, or mortgage of family land. Together, these legal instruments establish a foundation for more equitable land tenure. Yet the reality on the ground tells a more complicated story.
The persistent implementation gap
Across much of Africa, progressive land laws have not always translated into meaningful change in people’s daily lives. Customary tenure systems continue to govern the majority of land on the continent, estimated at more than 70%. While these systems are vital to community identity and land management, they often operate alongside statutory frameworks in ways that can disadvantage women.
In practice, customary norms may influence decisions about land allocation, inheritance, and ownership, frequently favouring men. This dynamic can weaken the impact of formal legal protections intended to secure women’s land rights.
Uganda illustrates this broader continental challenge. Although the legal framework supports equality, the implementation of gender-responsive provisions, such as joint spousal land ownership, remains uneven. Many households continue to register land in the name of one spouse, typically the husband, reflecting long-standing social norms around land ownership.
Nonetheless, progress is emerging. Public sensitisation campaigns led by government institutions, civil society organisations, and development partners have helped raise awareness of women’s land rights. Efforts to reduce the cost of land registration, particularly through subsidised systematic registration initiatives, have also begun to shift attitudes. According to the Uganda National Land Information System, women’s land ownership has increased to approximately 27% as of mid-2023. While this represents meaningful improvement, it also reveals the distance still to travel.
Administrative barriers and institutional constraints
Even when communities are willing to formalise land rights, administrative processes can create additional obstacles.
In recent years, Uganda has introduced reforms to improve land administration. Registration procedures have been significantly simplified, reducing the steps from 27 to just 4. Digitalisation through the Land Information System has also improved transparency and efficiency in land records management.
However, challenges remain. Administrative backlogs, complex documentation requirements, and informal payments associated with land-related corruption continue to slow the process for many citizens. For rural landholders, especially women, these barriers can discourage completion of land registration.
Another challenge lies in integrating customary tenure systems into formal land administration structures. Although efforts are underway to incorporate customary land information into the national digital system, this process is still developing. Procedures for managing subsequent transactions on documented customary land remain incomplete, creating uncertainty for landholders seeking to formalise their rights.
Compounding these challenges is a growing resource constraint. Much of the progress in land documentation and digital systems has been supported through externally funded development projects. With global development financing tightening in recent years, sustaining these initiatives increasingly requires stronger national investment.
Without dedicated public resources for land governance institutions, key bodies such as Area Land Committees and District Land Boards struggle to operate effectively. This limits their ability to support communities, address corruption, and ensure equitable functioning of land administration systems.
Why women’s land rights matter for 2026
The relevance of these issues becomes even clearer when viewed through the lens of the global themes for 2026.
The International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 underscores the importance of sustainable land management in drylands and pastoral systems, areas where women play crucial roles in livestock care, resource management, and household resilience. Meanwhile, the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 recognises the millions of women whose agricultural labour sustains rural economies and food systems.
In Uganda, as in many parts of Africa, women are central actors in farming, pastoralism, and natural resource management. Yet without secure land rights, their ability to invest in land, access credit, or participate fully in decision-making remains limited. Strengthening women’s tenure security is therefore not only a matter of equality; it is also essential for climate resilience, food security, and sustainable development.
A clear policy priority for 2026
As Uganda reflects on the commitments highlighted during International Women’s Day, one priority stands out: sustained national investment in gender-responsive land governance.
This includes allocating dedicated funding for community education on land rights, strengthening the capacity of local land governance structures, and expanding systematic land registration, particularly in rural districts where most citizens access land services.
Equally important is improving coordination between district land offices and regional Ministry of Lands Zonal Offices, ensuring that digital systems and administrative procedures function effectively at the local level. Bringing land administration services closer to communities can help reduce barriers for women and marginalised groups.
The uncomfortable truth
There is one reality that cannot be ignored in 2026: legal recognition alone does not guarantee land security for women. While Uganda’s laws affirm equality, everyday land governance decisions are still shaped by social norms, institutional limitations, and uneven implementation. Until these structural barriers are addressed, women’s land rights will remain stronger on paper than in practice.
The challenge now is to move from commitment to action. By investing in effective land administration, strengthening local governance institutions, and transforming social perceptions around women’s land ownership, Uganda has an opportunity to turn legal rights into lived realities.
In doing so, it can ensure that the women who cultivate the land, sustain rural economies, and steward natural resources are finally recognised not only as farmers and caregivers, but also as rightful landholders.
