Women’s Land Ownership and Gender Equality in Nepal

Abstract

The study is an endeavor to contribute to the impact developing social circumstances regarding land ownership among women and its relation to gender equality. The purpose of this research debunks the factors effecting women land ownership and their impact on socio-economic equality. A survey was done among 100 women of a remote village, in southern Lalitpur regarding land ownership, with relation to variables such as level of education of women, ethnicity, age, presence of legal documents, knowledge of government policies, and family structure. Factors such as occupation of women, role in household decision making, and involvement in social and political spheres were also studied in relation to their land ownership. The survey was done with purposive and proportional stratified sampling among ethnic communities of Brahmin/Chhetri and Janajati. A questionnaire survey, key informant survey, focus group discussion and in-depth case study were done. Twenty-one percent of the females interviewed had land on their own and this data also had a variation with ethnic communities. It was found that women with land feel confident in the social and economic sphere of society. Brahmin community was found to be more aware of the government policies encouraging female land ownership than the Janajati community. This study aims to add knowledge on the conversation in gender equality and its relation to land and property ownership.