Rural women forced from shelter to the streets

Land evictions are driving countless women from the safety of their homes to the uncertainty of the streets.

The shelters they once relied on for protection have been replaced by makeshift structures, leaving them exposed to harsh weather and unsafe conditions.

Many of these women, who were the backbone of their families, now face displacement and struggle to secure even the most basic shelter.

Their journey from a stable life to street living represents a profound shift, marked by a deep sense of loss and helplessness.

Beyond the loss of physical shelter, these women and their children have been stripped of access to the land that once sustained them.

Previously, they could freely cultivate fertile gardens, feeding their families and earning a livelihood.

Now, many are forced to beg family members or seek permission from new landowners for a small plot of land, just enough to plant crops for survival, particularly when they lose their husbands.

What was once their ancestral right has become a precarious privilege, with no guarantees.

This forced dependency brings devastating social and emotional consequences.

Women who were once self-sufficient farmers now find themselves at the mercy of others, pleading for help from family members or neighbors.

The psychological toll is immense, as their pride and independence are eroded.

This dependency extends into every aspect of their lives, making them more vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and neglect.

The situation becomes even more dire when a man in the family dies. In a patriarchal society where land ownership is often inherited through male lineage, widows and children are frequently left with nothing.

Customary land tenure, which governs most rural areas, often excludes women from inheritance, leaving them landless upon the death of their husbands.

This places widows in particularly vulnerable positions, forced to rely on extended family support, which is often minimal or nonexistent.

For children, the consequences of land eviction are severe. Losing their homes and access to land disrupts their education and pushes their families deeper into poverty.

Without land to farm or a stable income, mothers struggle to provide for their children's basic needs, leading to malnutrition, lack of healthcare, and limited access to education.

This perpetuates a cycle of poverty, trapping future generations in the same struggles.

Statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics reveal that less than 20% of rural women own land, despite making up over 80% of the agricultural workforce.

During evictions, these women bear the brunt of the crisis, as their lack of formal ownership leaves them particularly vulnerable to displacement.

Reports from the Uganda Land Alliance and ActionAid Uganda further indicate that women are disproportionately affected by land disputes, with many left destitute as a result of forced evictions.

Efforts to address these issues have been slow, and while various organizations advocate for women’s land rights, legal protections remain insufficient to safeguard their livelihoods.

As the crisis continues, the need for comprehensive reforms to secure land rights for women in Uganda becomes ever more urgent.

This article was generated with help of AI