Before I joined the Stand for Her Land (S4HL) campaign, I did not question the way land ownership was handled in my family. When my husband and I bought our first piece of land, I signed the purchase agreement only as a witness. I thought that was normal because I had contributed only a small amount of money toward its purchase.
The second time we bought land, my sister-in-law was listed as the second buyer while I again signed as a witness. Even though I was the wife, I accepted the arrangement without question because I believed that was how things were done.
Later, I bought another piece of land using my own money. Yet, when it came to completing the purchase agreement, I still signed only as a witness while my husband was recorded as the owner. I accepted it because I had grown up believing that a good wife should simply submit to her husband.
Everything changed when I participated in the S4HL training. For the first time, I understood that the law recognizes women’s equal rights to own and register land. The training gave me the confidence to challenge what I had always considered normal.
Armed with this new knowledge, I demanded that all the land purchase agreements on which I had signed merely as a witness be reviewed and corrected. It was not an easy decision. My husband strongly opposed me, and many members of his family turned against me. They criticized me and tried to discourage me, but I remained firm. I had resolved that securing my rights was worth pursuing, even if it came at the cost of my marriage. “They accused me of having an extra marital affair just because I stood up to demand for what was right. I told them that I had been trained and now know the law.”
My persistence paid off. One land agreement has now been revised and the property is registered in my name. Another has been changed to reflect joint ownership between my husband and me while the third is still being processed. I have also purchased my own piece of land and this time the roles were different—my husband signed the agreement as a witness while I was recognized as the rightful owner. Today, I know that claiming my land rights is not about challenging my husband; it is about protecting my future and that of my children. The S4HL campaign gave me more than knowledge—it gave me the confidence to stand up for my rights and inspire other women to do the same.
