Women's Property Rights, HIV and AIDS and Domestic Violence - Hema Swaminathan

Women's property and inheritance rights are recognised in international law and in a growing number of countries worldwide, yet women in many developing countries do not have the right to own or inherit property. At the same time, women are increasingly heading up households and are in critical need of land and property for economic security, particularly in the context of the AIDS epidemic.To better understand the role of tenure security in protecting against, and mitigating the effects of, HIV amongst women and domestic violence, this book explores these linkages in Amajuba, South Africa and Iganga, Uganda. Results from the qualitative study revealed that property ownership, while not easily linked to women's ability to prevent HIV infection, can nonetheless mitigate the impact of AIDS, and enhance a woman's ability to leave a violent situation.An invaluable resource for policy-makers, western donors, NGO workers and academics, these findings will inform the current land reform efforts, as well as HIV/AIDS and domestic violence policy in both countries, in Africa more generally and beyond.Both Uganda and South Africa have high rates of violence against women, ranging from verbal abuse to rape, beatings and murder. This book provides important findings which can be used to better understand the central role that property plays concerning women's vulnerability to HIV and AIDS and domestic violence.This report notes that in many developing countries, women do not have the right to own or inherit property, affecting women's ability to meet basic needs. The study also notes that land access or secure tenure does not necessarily ensure an adequate livelihood for most women.