Our Work in Africa
Across Africa, after the death of her husband or father, a woman can lose her land, home and livelihood in rapid succession. In Uganda, for example, more than one in five widows and orphans loose all or part of their rightful inheritance though illegal property seizure by relatives. This injustice has ramifications far beyond the initial theft: frequently, children are forced to drop out of school to begin working as their family’s financial needs become so pressing that potential earnings outweigh the value of education. For many families, property can literally be the difference between life and death – it is the source of shelter, and, in many cases, livelihood and food.
In all of the Africa field offices, IJM staff bring justice by restoring such property, protecting widows and orphans when they are most vulnerable.
IJM’s Africa offices also combat sexual violence by bringing relief and aftercare to victims and seeking prosecution of their abusers. Sexual violence is a major source of injustice and insecurity in Africa: Overburdened legal systems and ineffective medical documentation procedures mean that the chances of justice for victims are low. In Kenya, for example, the government estimates that a rape occurs every 30 minutes; other studies undertaken in the nation suggest that 60 percent of women will be victimized by some form of sexual violence in their lifetimes.
IJM works to combat sexual violence by ending the impunity for perpetrators, demonstrating the consequences of abuse by prosecuting those who break the law and abuse victims. Staff also ensure that survivors of sexual violence have access to the vital aftercare services they need.
These four offices also conduct casework on behalf of victims of illegal detention and police brutality, which are often under-prosecuted in Africa’s overburdened legal systems.
Venus’ Story
Venus and her husband operated four market stalls together in the outskirts of Lusaka. After her husband’s death, a male relative seized the stalls from Venus, despite Zambian laws stating that the property be shared equally among surviving relatives. With no source of income, Venus watched one of her sons die from malnutrition. When IJM learned of her case, lawyers from the office fought for her legal right to her property, securing a court order for the return of the market stalls to her control. Today, she is able to provide for her children and works to educate other women in her community on their property rights.
