Rooted in resistance

This brief discusses the importance of women's land rights and why the UK government must address the structural causes of land injustices by investing in women-led solutions.

Executive summary

All over the world, women are at the heart of our economy and society – whether that’s as farmers in the food system, as workers in our vital public services, as unpaid carers propping up the economy or as leaders in responding to the climate crisis. Yet, due to long-standing economic practices and political decisions, they remain landless, at risk of marginalisation and systemically excluded from decision-making. In a world of escalating climate disasters, landgrabs, food insecurity and a rollback on gender equality, continuing to ignore women’s land rights is no longer tenable.