Access to land is one of the determinants of poverty and social status of the rural population in the majority of developing countries, where the main sources of livelihood and income are derived from land. Women's access to land is determined not only by the position of their households within the broader structure of socio-economic relationships, but also by the lines of authority and subordination within the household.

In the most cases, as a result of the historical process of the divison of responsibilities and labour, this access is limited, insecure and derived.

Although the importance of the issue of women's access to land and its impact on the welfare of households as well as on the performance of the agricultural and rural sectors have been increasingly recognised in various fora, it has not been adequately addressed at the policy and planning level.

In fact, many recent initiatives such as land reforms, resettlement and irrigation programmes, have not only ignored the issue, but in some instances, also aggravated the existing situation. Moreover, the environmental degradation and the desertification process has further eroded women's access to land.