As we celebrate International Women’s History Month, we are reminded that true gender equity is rooted not only in social and political rights, but also in the fundamental right to land. For millions of women around the world, land is more than soil beneath their feet–it is the foundation of economic security, food sovereignty, community leadership, and environmental stewardship. Yet despite their critical roles, women remain vastly underrepresented in land ownership and decision-making about land use.
At Cadasta, we believe that securing women’s land rights is essential for building a more just, sustainable, and resilient future. Without formal land rights, women face systemic barriers to generating income, investing in their families, and protecting their communities from environmental degradation. The good news? We see firsthand how gender equity in land tenure can transform lives, landscapes, and economies.
Why Gender Equity in Land Matters
Research shows that when women have secure rights to land:
Despite these benefits, women hold less than 20% of the world’s land. Cultural norms, discriminatory laws, and limited access to technology, technical, and legal support continue to block women from owning, inheriting, or controlling land.
That’s why Cadasta works alongside local partners to put women at the forefront of land documentation and advocacy. Across the globe, women are using technology, data, and collective power to secure their rights and lead community development.
“When women have secure land tenure, they gain the power to lift entire communities out of poverty, drive economic growth, and lead the charge against climate change. At Cadasta, we are committed to ensuring that women everywhere have the training, tools, recognition, and legal protections they need to claim their rightful place as landowners, decision-makers, and change agents for a more equitable and sustainable world,” said Amy Coughenour Betancourt, CEO of Cadasta Foundation.
Here are three examples of how Cadasta’s partners are advancing women’s land rights:
BRAZIL: Women Securing Titles to Homes and Land with Espaço Feminista
In Bonito, Brazil, women from the organization Espaço Feminista are leading efforts to secure land rights and promote gender equity by using Cadasta’s digital tools and training to map thousands of properties and document land claims. With the support of Cadasta’s technology and capacity building, the initiative has accelerated the land formalization process, ensuring that women are formally recognized as landowners–either independently or jointly in 85% of the titles issued. By making visible women’s often-overlooked contributions to agriculture, household management, and community life, this work has strengthened women’s legal standing, increased their household security, and elevated their participation in local decision-making on land and housing policies. Together, Cadasta and Espaço Feminista are helping transform land tenure from a source of insecurity into a foundation for women’s equality and lasting community development.
INDIA: Advancing Gender Equity Through the Forest Rights Act
In India, Cadasta has been working with local partners PRADAN, ARCH Vahini, and Waatavaran to support the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), a critical law that recognizes the land rights of Indigenous and forest-dependent communities. Historically, women have been left out of formal land documentation processes, but thanks to intentional efforts to promote gender equity, that is changing. In Cadasta-supported projects, 90% of Individual Forest Rights titles now include the names of both spouses–a significant step forward for women’s legal recognition in land ownership. This inclusion not only strengthens women’s rights within their households and communities but also enables them to take an active role in land governance, forest conservation, and climate resilience.
UGANDA: Breaking Barriers to Women’s Land Ownership
Land is more than just a resource–it’s a foundation for security, equality, and opportunity. Yet, for many women in Uganda, systemic barriers continue to block equitable access to land. Since 2019, Cadasta has partnered with Uganda’s Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development (MLHUD) and local NGO Uganda Community Based Association for Women and Children’s Welfare (UCOBAC) to document customary land rights in five districts, with a strong focus on gender equity.
Through legal literacy campaigns, gender-sensitive training, and affirmative action in land documentation processes, Cadasta and its partners have worked to ensure women’s names are included on Customary Certificates of Ownership (CCOs). The impact has been transformational: over 10,000 parcels have been documented, and nearly 5,000 CCOs issued, with more than 77% of the parcels owned or co-owned by women. By securing legal recognition, women are gaining the confidence to invest in their land, advocate for their rights, and build brighter futures for their families–while shifting cultural norms around women’s land ownership.
The Path Forward for Gender Equality
True gender equality cannot be achieved without land equality. As the climate crisis accelerates and global food insecurity rises, the leadership of women landholders and defenders is more important than ever. When we invest in women’s land rights, we invest in stronger economies, healthier environments, and more peaceful societies.
This International Women’s History Month, Cadasta reaffirms our commitment to gender equity in land governance–because women belong not just in conversations about their land but at the helm of decision-making about its future.