Malawi 2015-16

Patterns by background characteristics
• Sole ownership of property improves with age, with older men and women more likely to
independently own a house or land. For example, 58% of women and 73% of men age 45-49 own a
house while only 10% of women and 11% of men age 15-19 own a house. This pattern is slightly
different for joint ownership in that ownership increases until age 24 and then appears to plateau.
• Ownership of a house or land varies with residence. Rural women are more likely to own a house or
land, either alone or jointly, compared with their urban counterparts. Rural men are more likely to own
a house or land alone compared with urban men. For men, joint ownership does not vary by residence.
• For women, independent or joint ownership of assets generally decreases with education. For example,
82% of women with no education own a house and 77% own land compared with only 27% and 22%,
respectively, among women with more than secondary education. For men, the pattern is similar for
sole ownership, but not for joint ownership.
16.6 OWNERSHIP OF TITLE OR DEED FOR HOUSE AND LAND
Ownership of title or deed
Respondents who own a house or land, whether the house or land has a title
or deed and whether or not a woman’s name appears on the title or deed.
Sample: Women and men age 15-49
With the recent adoption of the land bill, data on documentation of ownership provides much needed
assistance in monitoring the bill’s implementation. Ownership with a title or deed is rare in Malawi; only
3% of women and 4% of men have a title for their house with their name on it, and only 2% of women and
5% of men have such a title for their land. More than 90% of women and men have no title or deed for
their property (Tables 16.5.1, 16.5.2, 16.6.1, and 16.6.2).
Patterns by background characteristics
• Ownership of a house or land with a title or deed is noticeably more common for urban residents and
individuals with more than secondary school education. For example, 20% of urban women have a
title or deed for their house compared with 1% of rural women. Forty-one percent of women with
higher education have a title or deed compared with less than 8% among women with less education.
This is also the case, although of smaller magnitude, for ownership of titles and deeds without the
individual’s name on the document.
• Women and men in the highest wealth quintile were more likely to have a title or deed for their house
or land than those with less wealth. Between 15 to 33% of individuals in the highest wealth quintile
have a title/deed compared with 6% or less of individuals in the lower four wealth quintiles.
16.7 OWNERSHIP OF BANK ACCOUNTS AND MOBILE PHONES
Ownership of bank accounts and mobile phones
Respondents who use an account in a bank or other financial institution and
own a mobile phone.
Sample: Women and men age 15-49
Women’s Empowerment • 255