Women's Property Rights, HIV and AIDS & Domestic Violence: Research Findings from Two Districts in South Africa and Uganda

Revealing how women in many developing countries do not have the right to own or inherit property, this monograph clarifies the role of tenure security in protecting against and mitigating the effects of HIV amongst women and domestic violence. Exploring these linkages in Amajuba, South Africa, and Iganga, Uganda, this qualitative work based on peer-reviewed scientific studies and personal interviews with native women argues that property ownership, while not easily linked to women’s ability to prevent HIV infection, can nonetheless mitigate the impact of AIDS and enhance a woman’s ability to leave a violent situation. An invaluable resource for policymakers, western donors, nongovernmental organization workers, and academics, this analysis details the current land reform efforts as well as HIV/AIDS and domestic-violence policies in both countries, in Africa as a whole, and beyond.