2018 Formalising land marginalising women norms and customary practices regarding land rights in dawei

In 2012, the Farmland Law introduced a process for registering land through Land Use Certificates. The change from a customary form of land governance to a system governed through a legal and administrative framework is profound and has numerous implications for women. To better understand these implications, a field study was conducted by Trócaire and Land Core Group in three townships in Dawei District, Tanintharyi Region. The research looked at norms and customary practices of women who inherit land from their parents and the land tenure security of women who separate/divorce, and who have been widowed. While the research is limited to two ethnic communities, the findings show the need for further investigation into women’s experiences around land tenure and indicate a number of key areas for reform, as explored in this policy brief.