Gender and Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN): Evaluating Nigeria's Legislative Framework for Achieving Gender-Equitable LDN Outcomes

Abstract

Legislative frameworks that support gender equality are crucial for addressing structural inequalities, protecting women's rights, and achieving gender-equitable land degradation neutrality (LDN) outcomes. This study examines the extent to which national-level policies and legislation governing LDN and related sectors incorporate gender considerations and assesses their potential to advance gender-equitable LDN outcomes. The analysis focuses on Nigeria—a country severely affected by land degradation and a long history of gender marginalisation. We applied a gender analytical framework that captures three broad levels of gender engagement: (1) gender mainstreaming, (2) experience of gender and (3) the degree of action taken to reduce gender inequality. The analysis revealed three main findings. First, foundational laws and outdated policies, including the Nigerian Constitution and the Land Use Act, are largely ineffective in advancing gender-equitable LDN. These laws use gender-neutral language that obscures systemic disparities and lack enforceable mechanisms to protect women's land rights and ensure their participation in governance. Second, more recent policies (developed within the past decade) demonstrate moderate to high levels of gender engagement. They incorporate gender-focused measures such as advocating for women's land rights, promoting gender-balanced decision-making, ensuring gender-sensitive financing and improving gender-disaggregated data. Third, despite Nigeria's stated gender commitments, gender integration within LDN-related laws remains largely symbolic, offering superficial acknowledgment of gender disparities without prioritising enforceable measures to address structural inequalities. Advancing gender-equitable LDN outcomes in Nigeria requires shifting from symbolic recognition to enforceable reforms that challenge discriminatory norms and practices. This study offers actionable insights for policymakers in Nigeria and other LDN-committed countries seeking to enhance gender integration in legal frameworks.