Report of Baseline Study on Land and Property Grabbing

It is an objective of the Emang Basadi Women's Association to identify problems and legal barriers relating to the advancement of women in Botswana and develop strategies to improve their political, economic and legal position. One such problem is property grabbing, including houses, furniture, livestock, and cars, following the death of a spouse, or when a couple separates. This study analyses the causes of property grabbing in a culture which endorses the practises of bogadi - the bride price, and patlo - the process of asking for a wife, and where men are the chiefs and heads of families and have the right to chastise their wives. It documents key-informant and NGO experiences, and a series of practical recommendations for legal reform, designed to empower women and deliver greater social justice.