Botswana’s law finally favours wives on land ownership

For the first time, Botswana wives can now own land alongside their husbands.

Until now, the country’s land policy stopped wives from owning land if their husbands already had some.

Only unmarried women or the wives of men who did not already own land were eligible.

The discrimination left millions of women without access to the land where they live and work.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi announced the amended law.

He said the new policy will also protect widows and orphans who head households and are in need of land for residential purposes.

Rights groups have welcomed the change saying it was long overdue.