Buganda Land Board (BLB) and FIDA-Uganda have joined forces to aid women in obtaining land titles, ensuring their security of tenure.
The BLB CEO Omuk. Simon Kabogoza, and the CEO of FIDA-Uganda, Mrs Lillian Byarugaba Adriko, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to address the land rights of vulnerable women in the more significant Luweero territory of Buganda.
These women include widows, elderly women, women-led families, those in remote areas, and those living with HIV.
In Uganda, women constitute 80 per cent of the agricultural labour force, playing a crucial role in food and cash crop production, accounting for up to 80 per cent of the output.
Most women lack secure land rights despite their invaluable contributions to the national economy.
Land control and ownership are predominantly concentrated in the hands of men, leaving women heavily reliant on male family members for access to land.
Hence, BLB and FIDA-Uganda have committed to collaborate under this memorandum, leveraging their expertise to assist vulnerable women in registering their land interests and obtaining certificates of title for land managed by BLB.
Additionally, the two organizations will work together within their areas of operation to disseminate legal information on land justice and address legal disputes arising from formal and informal legal systems.
The MOU also establishes a framework for promoting gender-responsive practices in land structures and administration, including the Buganda Kingdom Local Government structures such as ‘Abatongole,’ ‘ab’Emiruka,’ ‘ab’Amagombolola,’ ‘Abamasaza,’ and Buganda Land Board officials.
The BLB CEO Omuk. Simon Kabogoza expressed their commitment to this partnership, stating, “We are signing this MOU with the intention of continuing our collaboration with FIDA-U on these important issues. We have previously worked together to enhance community well-being, and formalizing this partnership is a prudent step.”
Highlighting the significance of formalising the partnership, BLB CEO emphasised, “This MOU is not limited to a fixed duration of 2-3 years; it is an open-ended partnership that enables us to address these issues without constraints.”
The CEO of FIDA-Uganda, expressed confidence in the agreement, stating, “FIDA-Uganda believes that this partnership establishes a fertile ground for developing mechanisms to assist women and marginalized groups in securing land tenure.”
Buganda Land Board and FIDA-Uganda are both optimistic about the partnership’s potential to support vulnerable women in strengthening their security of tenure while fostering mutual learning between the two institutions.
