Abstract
This research report examines women’s land rights in Timor-Leste, focusing on how women in patrilineal kinship systems acquire and secure land from their parents. Although the Constitution and ratified international treaties guarantee gender equality and prohibit discrimination in property ownership, these protections are not fully realised in practice. Customary and social norms, especially within patrilineal systems, often privilege men as primary landholders, typically transferring land from fathers to sons. Daughters are generally expected to marry and relocate to their husband’s land, resulting in little or no claim to their natal family’s property. These practices contribute to a structural gap between formal legal entitlements and lived realities.
The study draws on six in-depth case studies of women who had been gifted land from their natal families. Findings are based on semi-structured interviews, supported by a legal and policy review, and key informant perspectives. The findings highlight challenges and enabling conditions to women’s land tenure.