Women in Lunga-Lunga Sub-County, Kwale County, have been urged to obtain legal marriage certificates and relevant documentation to safeguard their land and inheritance rights, and to protect themselves against gender-based violence (GBV).
This call was made during a sensitization forum organized by Nahugombe, a local rights organization, under the Kujenga Amani program.
The initiative aims to empower over 100 women with knowledge of their legal rights and equip them to seek justice when faced with violations, particularly around land ownership and inheritance.
According to Nahugombe Founder and Executive Director Nora Chao, many women suffer systemic discrimination, especially after the death of a spouse or during family land subdivisions.
She said most cases of abuse and dispossession occur because women lack awareness of their rights or fail to formalize their marriages.
“The most common issue revealed is that the majority of women are unaware of their rights, and this ignorance is often exploited to deny them their inheritance and land,” she said.
She emphasized the importance of proper documentation such as marriage certificates, wills, and title deeds as legal proof that can secure women’s property claims and protect them from being disinherited or evicted.
The training also addressed the root causes of domestic conflicts and GBV, encouraging families to embrace peaceful conflict resolution, equitable decision-making, and shared responsibilities to build stable and respectful households.
Participants were taken through laws related to land ownership, succession, and gender equality as outlined in the Kenyan Constitution.
The forum also highlighted how outdated cultural norms and religious misinterpretations are used to justify gender inequality, often at the expense of women’s rights.
Resident Shenazi Harun acknowledged that many women lack the voice and platform to advocate for themselves.
She pointed out that unregistered marriages and male-dominated inheritance practices continue to leave women vulnerable.
“When a woman’s marriage is not legally recognized, she becomes extremely exposed to abuse when her husband dies or during family disputes. She can easily be denied her rightful share of property,” said Harun.
Shenazi called for a mindset shift in communities and urged women to document their marriages and property agreements to protect themselves and their children from exploitation.
She appealed for more grassroots initiatives in remote areas where illiteracy and poverty prevent many from understanding or asserting their legal rights.
Shenazi further encouraged women to speak out against abuse, report violations, and seek support through legal and psychosocial services available within their communities.
Another participant, Rukia Mwakulinga, said the training opened her eyes to the injustices many women silently endure. She admitted that, like many in her community, she believed men had absolute control over family property.
“I used to think that it was a man’s right to own everything and a woman’s duty to obey, but this training has made me realize that women also have rights that should be respected,” Mwakulinga said.
She expressed shock upon learning that some accepted cultural norms were actually forms of discrimination that deprive women of dignity and economic independence.
Mwakulinga emphasized the need for more community awareness campaigns, especially targeting men and elders who often influence key family decisions.
“It’s not enough to educate women alone. Men also need to be part of these conversations, so they stop seeing women as inferior,” she said.
