A Queen mother in the Bawku West District, Poanab Esther Alale has identified negative masculinity as unfavorable cultural practices as a serious hindrance to the women acquiring arable lands and other productive resources arguing that women have to work on their husband’s lands before gaining access to their own land.
She cited instances where widows have to work on the land of the senior representative of the late husband’s house at the demise of the husband.
Speaking on the sidelines of the regional stakeholder’s engagement on women access to arable farmlands and productive resources in Bolgatanga, the Poanab noted the challenge with traditional authorities securing arable lands for women as there are custodians of the lands who most often than not, do not see the need for women to have their own share of the land.
According to her, she laments when the queen mothers in their various jurisdictions mobilize women to unite forces to press home their demand to access arable lands, the chiefs see that as an attempt to belittle their power.
She further called on the government to formulate policies and programmes to help women gain access to land for agricultural activities.
However, the Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area Naba Baba Salifu Atamale Leemyaruum appealed to other traditional rulers to liaise with landowners to grant women ownership of arable farmlands and as he pointed the need for women to also have access to tractors to enable work on their farms.
He indicated that women in his jurisdiction have been given arable lands at the eastern part of the district bordering Burkina Faso to venture into agricultural activities in the area. Naba Leemyaruum acknowledged the challenge of male dominance over their female counterpart in gaining access to farmlands and expressed confidence that with sensitization the dominance will break for women to possess their own farmlands to boost agricultural activities in the region.
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