Vietnam Land Access for Women (LAW) Program

Access to land is one of the fundamental economic, social, and cultural rights protected under various international treaties and national constitutions. Yet too often there is a large gap between the law and women’s ability to claim their rights as property owners. This report presents findings from a rapid assessment study that constitutes a baseline for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Vietnam Land Access for Women (LAW) program. The Vietnam LAW program is a two-year pilot intervention implemented by the Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS) and the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) that aims to strengthen the reach and efficacy of land-related rights for farmers, particularly women. This pilot intervention is taking place in Hung Yen and Long An provinces. The study collected information about farmers’ ability to access land, and their attitudes and knowledge of land law, particularly women’s land rights and farmers’ ability to solve land-related conflicts at the commune level. Data collection took place between October and November 2014. The team surveyed 864 couples from randomly selected households and interviewed 48 women and 18 men among local government representatives, representatives from civil society, and farmers in both Hung Yen and Long An.