FIDA Kenya Paralegal training on women and land rights

http://www.nation.co.ke As Australian Base Titanium mining company continue to extract and export minerals from Kwale county while the government receive billions of shilling as benefits, FIDA Kenya has embarked on paralegal training on women and land rights in the extractive industries. Kwale is the only county where mineral extraction and exportation is done by the mining company from Nguluku and Maumba. FIDA Kenya executive director Ann Ireri said that they want to ensure women know their rights on land ownership and minerals issues as well since they are entrenched in the constitution. “Many women are victimized and harassed because they don’t know that the law protects them when family land is sold. We have prioritized to empower them with the knowledge for them to know the law,” she said. Kwale county chief officer Environment, natural resources and land Nuru Mboga, said that they have set aside funds to sensitize small scale miners in the area. She said that such a partnership is critical to ensure all sub-counties of Lunga Lunga, Msambweni, Matuga and Kinango are reached. Mary Maina, a Kwale resident, said that women have remained in darkness and continued to be victimized by husbands on issues of land and minerals. “When families are relocated some of the women didn’t know where they were going and payment went directly to the husband and went missing but the training was long overdue because we are empowered and know our rights on Land inheritance,” she added. Coast region Fida organization manager Ilham Said, said that they target to ensure they have representation at the grassroots in order to help women through training in Msambweni and Lunga Lunga. “We want to train the community and ensure our women are empowered on the extractive industries and land,” she said.