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The Ambiguity of Joint Asset Ownership: Cautionary Tales From Uganda and South Africa

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  • Krista Jacobs
  • Aslihan Kes

Abstract

This study uses individual-level survey data from women and men in Uganda and South Africa to examine coupled women's joint ownership of land and housing. It compares women's control over and benefits from jointly held land and housing with those of coupled women not owning land or housing at all and coupled women owning them solely. The lack of a clear and consistent advantage of joint ownership potentially arises from frequent disagreement within couples about whether the land or house is jointly owned. The study serves as a reminder of the complexities of joint ownership in practice, particularly within families, that need to be considered in order for coupled women to benefit from joint asset ownership. Efforts promoting joint ownership, for example, joint titling and marital property laws supporting joint ownership, should not only consider these complexities but also establish and communicate clear and enforceable rules for joint ownership.

Suggested Citation

  • Krista Jacobs & Aslihan Kes, 2015. "The Ambiguity of Joint Asset Ownership: Cautionary Tales From Uganda and South Africa," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 23-55, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:femeco:v:21:y:2015:i:3:p:23-55
    DOI: 10.1080/13545701.2014.926559
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Carter, Michael R. & May, Julian, 1999. "Poverty, livelihood and class in rural South Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 1-20, January.
    2. May, Julian & Carter, Michael R., 1997. "Poverty, Livelihood And Class In Rural South Africa," Staff Papers 12622, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.
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    Cited by:

    1. Allison Shwachman Kaminaga & Hannah Sheldon, 2022. "Help or harm? The impact of property titling on women's acceptance of intimate partner violence," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(6), pages 1197-1212, August.
    2. Genicot, Garance & Hernandez-de-Benito, Maria, 2022. "Women’s land rights and village institutions in Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    3. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2022. "Gender Equity and Land: the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Niger Delta, Nigeria," Working Papers 22/093, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    4. Kilic, Talip & Moylan, Heather & Koolwal, Gayatri, 2021. "Getting the (Gender-Disaggregated) lay of the land: Impact of survey respondent selection on measuring land ownership and rights," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    5. Joseph Ikechukwu Uduji & Elda Nduka Okolo‐Obasi, 2023. "Gender equity and land: The role of corporate social responsibility in Niger Delta, Nigeria," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(6), pages 1216-1238, August.
    6. Weaver, Lesley Jo & Kaiser, Bonnie N., 2022. "Syndemics theory must take local context seriously: An example of measures for poverty, mental health, and food insecurity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    7. Jane Zavisca & Theodore Gerber & Hyungjun Suh, 2021. "Housing Status in Post-Soviet Contexts: A Multi-dimensional Measurement Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 153(2), pages 609-634, January.
    8. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2022. "Gender Equity and Land: the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Niger Delta, Nigeria," Working Papers of The Association for Promoting Women in Research and Development in Africa (ASPROWORDA). 22/022, The Association for Promoting Women in Research and Development in Africa (ASPROWORDA).
    9. Lambrecht, Isabel Brigitte & Synt, Nang Lun Kham & Win, Hnin Ei & Mahrt, Kristi & Win, Khin Zin, 2024. "“It doesn’t matter at all—we are family”: Titling and joint property rights in Myanmar," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    10. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2022. "Gender Equity and Land: the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Niger Delta, Nigeria," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 22/093, African Governance and Development Institute..

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