In Brighton in 1998, Commission 7 of the FIG, formally established a Working Group on Access to Land, see enclosed Terms of Reference. Within this working group, a special Task Force Group will study and promote Women s Access to Land, with emphasis on women s situation in developing countries. Background Women are often treated differently than men regarding land, maybe not in legislation but rather by cultural and religious traditions. Yet a quarter of the households at the international level are run by women. Furthermore, as customary relationships change through, for example, increasing urbanization and economic necessity, there is a growing need to examine how women participate in land matters.
Households are never homogeneous entities and neither are families.
Women and men usually have different functions within the family as well as outside of it. This implies that men may receive different information, opportunities and status than women. In general, attitudes and traditions guide female behaviour to not be involved in issues regarding landrights, even if women are the primary users of the land. Taken together, these factors give rise to different degrees of ownership, management, and control of land. Women's dilemmas in the third world are closely connected to poor economies, informal settlements, large families, and long working days.