Women’s Land Rigths and Empowerment under Diverse Property Regimes - Case Studies of Cochabamba, Bolivia

Abstract: The purpose of this study has been to add to the understanding of women’s land rights by exploring how land rights under different property rights regimes can be conductive to women’s empowerment at household and community level. To do so, I have applied two case studies of a rural and a peri-urban area respectively in the department of Cochabamba in Bolivia and collected qualitative empirical data from multiple sources. On the basis of a review of relevant literature and theories on empowerment and property rights, I argue that property rights to land, both in private and common property regimes, have the potential to improve women’s decision-making power in the household, income generation and political participation, as well as reduce incidence and prevalence of domestic violence. Moreover, the study indicates that the type of property regime is less critical to women’s empowerment than property rights theory suggests.