Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

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Critical Issues: Women, Land, Housing
and Inheritance in <strong>the</strong> Pacific
“There is a direct relationship between <strong>the</strong> vulnerable status <strong>of</strong> women arising from <strong>the</strong> violence
or discrimination <strong>the</strong>y face, and <strong>the</strong>ir inability to enjoy all <strong>the</strong> elements <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> right to adequate
housing and congruent rights.” (Dianne Otto, Australia)
Some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> critical housing and lands rights issues for women in <strong>the</strong> Pacific that were identified
by participants included:
– Violence against women;
– Lack <strong>of</strong> housing materials (particularly in post conflict situations);
– Widows’ lack <strong>of</strong> access to land;
– Women losing access to leases;
– Urbanisation and squatter settlements;
– Migration from rural to urban areas/from outer islands to main islands;
– Problems faced by women returning to traditional lands;
– Feminisation <strong>of</strong> poverty – women living in poor conditions;
– Lack <strong>of</strong> sanitation;
– Discriminatory laws – lack <strong>of</strong> legal recognition <strong>of</strong> women’s rights;
– Lack <strong>of</strong> women’s participation in decision-making bodies addressing land issues and in
government;
– Lack <strong>of</strong> inheritance rights;
– The difference between ‘power to hold land’ and ‘power over land and <strong>the</strong> usage <strong>of</strong> land’
- <strong>the</strong> latter is still largely in men’s hands, even in matrilineal systems;
– Women’s access to credit is limited because it is conditional upon having a tangible asset -
so commonly women without land cannot access credit;
– Traditional and customary practices that discriminate against women;
– Lack <strong>of</strong> affordable housing.
From <strong>the</strong> above range <strong>of</strong> issues, four general <strong>the</strong>mes were identified: violence against women;
intersectional discrimination; urbanisation; and customary laws. Within <strong>the</strong>se <strong>the</strong>matic areas,
participants presented testimonies to <strong>the</strong> Special Rapporteur detailing <strong>the</strong>ir experiences <strong>of</strong> violations
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 21