Can the Law Secure Women’s Land Rights in Tanzania?

Yıl 2025, Sayı: 31, 43 - 57, 23.10.2025

Jenesta Urassa

https://doi.org/10.26650/iukad.2025.1664644

Öz

This literature review explores the extent to which Tanzanian land laws secure women’s rights to land. The qualitative method based on narrative reviews was adopted. The classical theories on the evolution of property rights and empirical studies published between 1990 and the present were reviewed. Findings indicate that while the law formally recognises women’s land rights, actual tenure security remains elusive. The coexistence of statutory, customary, and religious legal systems creates complex land rights. Socio-cultural norms often obstruct the enforcement of statutory laws intended to protect women’s land rights. Additionally, the law may discriminate against women, especially those whose names are not listed on a certificate of occupancy. In contrast, communal tenure arrangements offer more reliable safeguards. The review identifies the challenges in implementing, monitoring, and enforcing land laws and calls for comprehensive reforms. These include strengthening legal enforcement mechanisms, revising outdated laws, fostering political commitment to gender equity, and encouraging a shift in societal and religious attitudes towards women’s access to land.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Women’s land rights , Customary law , Statutory law , Tenure security , Communal tenure

Tanzanya’da Kadınların Toprak Haklarını Yasa Güvence Altına Alabilir mi?

Öz

Bu literatür taraması makalesi, Tanzanya arazi yasalarının kadınların arazi haklarını ne ölçüde güvence altına aldığını incelemektedir. Anlatı incelemelerine dayalı nitel yöntem benimsenmiştir. Mülkiyet haklarının evrimine ilişkin klasik teoriler ve 1990 ile günümüz arasında yayınlanmış ampirik çalışmalar incelenmiştir. Bulgular, yasanın kadınların arazi haklarını resmen tanımasına rağmen, gerçek kullanım hakkının hala belirsiz olduğunu göstermektedir. Yasal, örf ve adet hukuku sistemlerinin bir arada bulunması karmaşık bir arazi hakkı yaratmaktadır. Sosyo-kültürel normlar, kadınların arazi haklarını korumayı amaçlayan yasal yasaların uygulanmasını sıklıkla engellemektedir. Ayrıca, yasa, özellikle de isimleri oturma izni belgelerinde listelenmeyen kadınlara karşı ayrımcılık yapabilmektedir. Buna karşılık, müşterek kullanım hakkı düzenlemeleri daha güvenilir güvenceler sunmaktadır. İnceleme, arazi yasalarının uygulanması, izlenmesi ve yaptırımında devam eden zorlukları tespit etmekte ve kapsamlı reformlar çağrısında bulunmaktadır. Bunlar arasında yasal uygulama mekanizmalarının güçlendirilmesi, güncelliğini yitirmiş yasaların revize edilmesi, toplumsal cinsiyet eşitliğine yönelik siyasi bağlılığın teşvik edilmesi ve kadınların araziye erişimine yönelik toplumsal ve dini tutumlarda bir değişimin teşvik edilmesi yer almaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kadınların arazi hakları , Örf ve adet hukuku , Kanuni hukuk , Mülkiyet güvenliği , Topluluk mülkiyeti

Kaynakça

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