Exclusion of pastoralist women in East and Horn of Africa

Pastoralist societies in eastern Africa and the Horn are increasingly marginalised as a result of expansion of cultivation and nature conservation and an increase in human population. In these already marginalised societies, pastoralist women are further excluded, leading to high vulnerability, inequality and dependency. The women have little access to social services or productive assets, including livestock and land. They cannot inherit property and they are generally excluded from decision-making at the local and national level.

The report A double bind: the exclusion of pastoralist women in the East and Horn of Africa (2008, 36 pp) by Naomi Kipuri & Andrew Ridgewell, published by CELEP member Minority Rights Group International (MRGI), is based mainly on interviews with pastoralist women in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda – including some who had succeeded in being elected to regional and national government – who discuss aspects of their social, economic and political exclusion. Interviews were also made with government officials and staff of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to elicit lessons learnt from interventions to increase pastoralist women’s participation in decision-making. The report presents a set of recommendations aimed mainly at policymakers, NGOs and pastoralist women themselves for improving their situation.

Posted on 13 June 2023 in Pastoralism, Gender & Youth, Pastoralism, Policy & Power