In practice, however, customary law prevails, giving husbands control and access to financial resources. Despite women's great contribution and central role in land use and food sovereignty, customary laws have excluded them from access to land ownership.
The Dou Touloma project, in collaboration with its partners, provides support by working with communities to continue to change the situation by raising awareness of the proper application of land rights laws for the benefit of women and for the fair distribution and use of resources.
To this end, the Dou Touloma project works with village chiefs and religious leaders to help them understand the law, and to ensure that women have equitable access to and control over land for their farming practices. Dou Touloma also provides women with technical support to improve their skills through the "champs école" literacy and transformational leadership program.
Access to land and knowledge is an essential step towards economic autonomy for rural women.
