Certified to Stay? Experimental Evidence on Land Formalization and Widows' Tenure Insecurity in Benin

Le Lemma organise un séminaire, sur le thème « Certified to Stay? Experimental Evidence on Land Formalization and Widows' Tenure Insecurity in Benin » le mardi 6 juin 2023 à 11h. 

Kenneth HOUNGBEDJI (IRD-Dauphine)

Abstract: Women's ownership and control of land in rural Sub-Saharan Africa is often mediated through their relationship to a male spouse or a male relative. These limited rights can rapidly disappear in the event of the death of the husband with stark welfare implications for the widows without male heirs who often migrate. We examine the following question in the context of a randomized controlled trial in rural Benin: can land formalization interventions strengthen a widow's right to stay? Drawing on longitudinal surveys of households across treatment arms, we find that widows are more likely to remain in their original community four years after the intervention, and this effect is driven by widows without male heirs. We assess, and find evidence in support of two mechanisms for these findings: perceptions of stronger land rights for women by community members and intra-household dynamics that reduce land tenure insecurity for women and increase their decision-making power over land resources.

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