Women and Law in Southern Africa - Zambia

Support for Zambian women and youth to access land

When women have secure rights to land, they make investments to improve land and acquire better quality inputs, participate in land rental markets, and receive more income, according to a report by Land Links. The enjoyment of land rights for women and youths remains a challenge in Zambia, although the government and civil society organizations (CSOs) are continually working to address this through policy reforms, training local chiefs on gender equality, and empowerment programs for women.

Zambia has two categories of land; State land and Customary land. State land includes land in urban areas and land used for mining or nature conservation. Customary land is administered by traditional leaders. Reforms introduced by the 2016 Constitution outlaw discriminatory practices against women who wish to acquire land. For women and youth entrepreneurs, the ability to own or access land without restrictions is critical not only because land is an important factor of production, but also because ownership of land that is protected by law is vital for the security and sustainability of the businesses that women choose to engage in.