Customary Rural Land Dispute Resolution in Ethiopia: A FeministAnalysis of Gender Dynamics in Shimglina

Abstract

 Shimglina plays a significant role in resolving rural land disputes and expanding
access to justice, particularly where formal legal institutions remain inaccessible.
However, this mechanism presents a paradox for rural women. While it offers
accessible forums for dispute resolution, it often reproduces gender inequalities
and undermines women’s rights. Although existing scholarship has examined
Shimglina in relation to access to justice, social cohesion, and its interaction with
formal legal systems, relatively little attention has been paid to its gendered
dimensions. This article addresses this gap by employing feminist theory and a
gender-transformative approach to examine how gender norms, relations, and
institutional structures shape women’s agency, relational positioning, and
structures within Shimglina as women resolve land disputes. The empirical
findings demonstrate that women experience limited opportunities for meaningful
participation, constrained avenues for self-representation, and systematic
exclusion from decision-making roles within Shimglina. The article argues that
enhancing women’s agency within Shimglina requires gender-informed reforms,
including stronger normative and institutional linkages between Shimglina and the
justice system. The article contributes to the literature by exposing embedded
gendered power structures within Shimglina and providing empirical and
theoretical foundations for transformative and inclusive land governance reform
in Ethiopia.