The INADES Formation organisation has called for increased participation of women in rural land management, during the closing session of its citizen debate cycle held on June 24, 2025, in Soubré.
The event, themed “Land ownership in rural areas: what involvement of women for a more resilient and fulfilled society?”, brought together local authorities, traditional chiefs, community leaders, women, and youth to tackle the pressing issue.
Project manager Dongo Roger Fulgence highlighted persistent cultural, social, and economic barriers preventing women from fully accessing land rights, despite the existence of a legal framework designed to protect these rights.
“Women still face obstacles that hinder their rightful access to land,” he explained, underlining the gap between legislation and practice.
The discussions yielded a range of recommendations to address these challenges.
Key among them were the calls for strengthened economic empowerment of women, wider dissemination of land-related laws through community engagements, and dedicated training on women’s land rights.
Additionally, participants advocated for legislative reforms aimed at harmonising customary law with formal legal systems, ensuring more consistent protection of women’s interests.
Emphasising collective responsibility, stakeholders stressed the importance of a coordinated approach involving the State, local communities, customary authorities, civil society, and women’s associations to guarantee the effective implementation of land laws.
This event in Soubré marks the conclusion of the INADES Formation pilot project, initiated in Abengourou in December 2024.
The project has sought to promote inclusive land governance by creating community dialogue spaces, fostering greater awareness and collaboration around land ownership issues in rural Ivory Coast.
By bringing together diverse voices, the initiative hopes to lay foundations for a more equitable and resilient society where women’s roles in land management are recognised and strengthened.
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