Full citation: Mokerjee, S. (2017). Gender-neutral inheritance laws, family structure, and women’s status in India. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 8017
Record Topic: Inheritance
Inheritance Customs and Agricultural Investment
Full citation: Dillon, B., & Voena, A. (2017). Inheritance Customs and Agricultural Investment (January 18, 2017).
Gender and Property Rights: A Critical Issue in Urban Economic Development
Full citation: Rabenhorst, C. and Bean, A., “Gender and Property Rights: A Critical Issue in Urban Economic Development,” IHC PAPER (August 2011). – This paper looks at: (1) gender equality in property rights, i.e., the rights of women to participate in property use and ownership with full legal and societal protection; (2) the importance to economic development of residential and commercial property rights in urban areas; and (3) the role of women in economic development. It profiles the Tanzania Settlements Trust, which forms groups of women that advocate together and provide support for tenure and housing access. It recommends that […]
Innovations in land rights recognition, administration, and governance
Full citation: Deininger, K., Augustinus, C., Enemark, S., and Munro-Faure, P. (Eds.) (2010). “Innovations in land rights recognition, administration, and governance.” World Bank Publications. – This paper brings together a variety of studies on land rights. Chapter 4 in particular focuses on efforts to improve tenure security. One study in India examines whether changes in inheritance legislation impact the socioeconomic status of females, and found that when daughters were granted coparcenary birthrights in joint family property denied to daughters in the past, the amendment significantly increased the probability of females inheriting land. However, even after the passage of the amendment, significant […]
Towards Customary Legal Empowerment in Namibia: Enhancing gender equality in customary justice systems
Full citation: Ubink, J.M. (2011). “Towards Customary Legal Empowerment in Namibia: Enhancing gender equality in customary justice systems.” International Development Law Organisation. – In Namibia, national authorities have made various interventions aimed at enhancing the functioning of customary law and traditional leadership. These efforts include both the creation of institutional linkages as well as community-based activities. One issue has been the position of women under customary law, and especially the fact that widows often have no rights to their deceased husbands’ lands. At a workshop, the traditional leaders present unanimously decided that widows should not be chased from their lands […]
Empowering Widows: An Overview of policies and programmes in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka
Full citation: UN Women. (2014). “Empowering Widows: An Overview of policies and programmes in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.” – This paper finds that strengthening engagement with civil society in the implementation of government programs results in a more enabling environment for widows to claim services, including land rights. Focus group discussions in India and Nepal showed that widows who were a part of this collaborative effort were more articulate, confident and aware of their rights. This played an important role in helping them claim their entitlements, including land rights. In Sri Lanka, widows have been able to take advantage […]
Housing, Land and Property rights for Somalia’s urban displaced women
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)