In Nepal, only 19.7% of women own land. This is only 5% of the total land of Nepal. Of these women only 11% have control over their land. In 2015 the Government changed the law and today, there is a 25-50% discount on the registration fee when the land is registered under to women’s name. After the new civil code in 2018 daughters are entitled to keep their share of their parents property after getting married. That means equal rights for sons and daughters. After a divorce women are also entitled to their husband’s share of property, if the divorce is the husband’s fault. This brings a positive change. In a patriarchal country like Nepal, access to land is fundamental to women’s empowerment. Land rights bring security, independence and confidence, which together enable women to become active in all social and political arenas. Women’s ownership of land encourages men to view women as equals, which is shown to give women more decision making power in their households and decrease domestic violence (US Aid Country Profile).
