The Civil Society Organization, in collaboration with the United Nations Development and the County Government of Kisumu, held a two- day conference as from 27th to 28 February at the Acacia Hotel in Kisumu to address realities and contexts for women pursuing their land rights.
The event was graced by a CEC member for the Land, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development Dr. Kennedy Hongo and his counterpart from the Public Service, County Administration and Participatory Development Department, Ms. Judith Oluoch, together with Mr. Baraza from National Land Commission, Ms. .Janet Anyango from FIDA, Mr. Nick Omitto from the Centre For Human Rights and Mediation, Mr. Asunnah from Kisumu Mediation Centre, Mrs. Jessica Oluoch from KERLIN and Hon Magistrate Maureen Shimenga.
Their deliberations which took the form of panel discussions and plenaries dealt with the following issues:
The role of Alternative Dispute Resolution and strategies for accountability regarding Women’s Land Rights.
The strengthening of the protection of women and their land rights.
The protection of women against cases of inheritance, displacement, and land fraud.
The role of devolved structures in protecting women’s land rights.
The domestication and protection of the justice pathway for women, girls, orphans, and People with Disabilities.
The engendering of land processes for tenure security.
The participants raised issues on proper public participation and judicial participation.
The CEC Ms. Judith Oluoch, on her part pledged to ensure that public participation forums are conducted at appropriate times so that everyone can attend.
In addition, she said that the County Government will train the village administrators on their roles in the community. Different communities will also be asked to form a council of elders to help resolve the land matters at the grassroots level.