Securing property rights for the widow: Lessons from Nigeria

Abstract

A growing consensus is emerging around the world regarding the role that secure land tenure for women plays in alleviating poverty, boost economic growth, and advance national development. Multiple international policy documents advocate for women's and men's equal access to, ownership of, control over, and inheritance of land, housing, and other property. However, widows' legal rights are rarely addressed in these documents; it is common for these widows to have their inheritance and property rights violated. This report is a case study based research; it contains documentation of authors personal experiences in assisting an elderly widow secure property rights and exercising rights of ownership over the property left behind by her deceased husband who died intestate in Nigeria. Narrative analysis technique was employed in the methodology, while data were obtained basically from personal discussions, observation, pictures, videos and documents. challenges encountered include; lack of documented written will, financial constraints, lack of formal education by the widow, legal obstacles and sense of insecurity experienced by the widow from both external and internal sources due to fear of imposition of customary law as it relates to inheritance among her people. The interventions of experienced real estate valuers and a legal practitioner helped in securing an appropriate legal instrument that helped her overcome the cultural and legal challenges encountered and to secure her property right. To combat the challenges faced by women and widows in securing property rights in Nigeria, the study suggests group and community support for women and widows. It also recommends the establishment of a legal and policy framework by the Nigerian government that will educate women and widows on how to secure and enforce property rights. This will help in promoting gender equality, protects women/widows' property rights and empower them economically for the attainment of sustainable development in Nigeria.