The effect of HIV/AIDS on Africa and the issues it creates for women in African societies, especially unmarried women, is a difficult one that will not soon go away. These two volumes [ The Land and Property Rights of Women and Orphans in the Context of HIV and AIDS : Case Studies from Zimbabwe, and Reclaiming Our Lives: HIV and AIDS, Women’s Land and Property Rights and Livelihoods in Southern and East Africa: Narratives and Responses] are important and useful additions to the literature of the problem and should be found in academic and research collections dealing with the topic

L’accès à la terre est indispensable pour produire de la nourriture et créer des revenus. C’est aussi un atout social et économique déterminant qui donne accès à l’identité culturelle, au pouvoir politique et à la prise de décisions. Les préjugés sociaux et culturels sont souvent responsables d’une discrimination à l’égard d’un sexe, d’une classe sociale ou d’un groupe ethnique.

Up to 2.5 billion people hold and use the world’s community lands, yet the tenure rights of women—who comprise more than half the population of the world’s Indigenous Peoples and local communities—are seldom acknowledged or protected by national laws.

Securing women land rights through land titling programs is viewed as a potential means for enhancing their tenure security. The expectation is that women may gain greater influence on how to use the land, if they are registered as joint owners. Women are more likely to make decisions that improve food and nutrition needs at farm level than men. Increased level of women decision making through secured tenure rights is expected to have a positive impact on food security.

Es una realidad que hay contradicciones en cuanto al manejo y la tenencia de la tierra en América Latina, siendo una situación importante que impacta en las economías locales y en la vida de millones de personas. Aunque en las últimas dos décadas la mayoría de los países latinoamericanos han implementado en su legislación medidas para promover el acceso y derecho de la mujer a la tierra, siguen existiendo limitaciones que no han permitido un mayor avance hacia la equidad en la distribución de la tierra.