Her fields, her future

Supported by the Stand for Her Land (S4HL) initiative, women in Uganda, Bangladesh, Colombia, and Senegal are claiming their rights, strengthening their voices, and creating new opportunities for themselves and their communities.

Their journeys are different, but they share a common lesson:

when women can exercise their rights to land, they can help shape the future.

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For Immaculate Nyamwija, the journey was about more than ownership. Although she had purchased land herself, decisions about its use remained out of her hands until she attended a Grassroots Women's Leaders' Academy. There, she came to a realization that would change everything:

"Owning land also means being able to make decisions about it."

Armed with that understanding, she reclaimed control over her land and now earns an income from the bananas and coffee she grows.

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For Nalongo Annet Kashaija, this deeply rooted tradition became a personal battle.

Born and raised in Kazo, Mbarara, she is now married and lives in Kisalosalo, Kyebando in Kampala’s Kawempe Division. After her father passed away, her brothers attempted to take the land that was rightfully hers. But Nalongo had recently participated in a community training on Social Norms Transformation led by a grassroots women leader trained under the Stand for Her Land Campaign. Armed with knowledge and renewed confidence, Nalongo Annet stood her ground and successfully claimed her rightful inheritance.

For Elizabeth, Immaculate and Nalongo, land became more than a resource. It became a pathway to confidence, income, and influence. Their stories show that when women can claim their rights and make decisions about the land they farm, they are not only growing crops, they are growing opportunities for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Click to learn more about:

• Limitations to Women’s land rights in Karamoja sub regions
• Financing for women's land rights in Uganda

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Working alongside other women, Rita pushed for landless families to be included in government housing and land programs. When repeated applications were ignored, they took their case directly to local authorities and demanded action. Their persistence paid off: Rita's family and nine other women received housing and land through the government's Ashrayan Project. Today, they live in secure homes and are able to cultivate small family farms.

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"Now I understand that as a citizen, I have the same rights as everyone else. If we know our rights and raise our collective voices, we can achieve what is ours."

For Rita, finding her voice helped her claim more than a home. It helped her become an advocate for her community and a reminder that when women know their rights and act together, change is possible.

Learn more about the work of the S4HL Bangladesh Coalition and its efforts to advance women's land rights across the country.

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In 2024, through the Caribbean Women's Coalition and the Stand for Her Land (S4HL) campaign, they helped launch Ajá, So Why Not? Men Committed to Gender Equality. Through dialogue, training, and community engagement, the initiative creates spaces for women and men to discuss power, caregiving, participation, and access to land and water, helping challenge social norms that have long excluded women from decision-making.

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"We must continue transforming: the territory, the communities, and even the men who once harmed us."

- Inilida

For Luz Marina and Inilida, strengthening women's land rights starts with changing the conversations that shape everyday life. Their work demonstrates that more equitable land governance is possible when women are empowered to lead and communities commit to building a future free from discrimination and violence.

Learn more about the work of the S4HL Caribbean Women's Coalition and its efforts to advance women's land and territorial rights in Colombia.

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The women in our country are born leaders. We need to strengthen their capacities, and encourage them to take up spaces to defend their rights

NGONE NGOM