THIRD WORLD LEGAL STUDIES

This paper examines, through a three-step approach, "culturally challenging" practices of female genital surgeries (FGS). It reviews ways in which the popularization of FGS has raised questions about how this issue is framed, as well as how Westerners and non-Westerners are represented in the popular consciousness. It also explores the positive aspects as well as the pitfalls of using the legal system in combatting surgeries. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - Female Genital Cutting, International]

The primary purpose of this article is to present an overview of the experiences of Indigenous women with customary law. The existence of legal pluralism in colonized states impacts upon Indigenous women, especially in the African context. After examining the development of customary law, the author reports on how African women are using this customary law to access their rights. The article also recounts the struggle for legal reform that is occurring in several African states.

In this article, the author discusses the discrepancies between international law and domestic practice in women's right of access to land. The article begins by outlining various means for women to access land, such as acquisition on first registration, acquisition through inheritance and acquisition through direct purchase. The author emphasizes the importance of a right of access to agricultural credit and discusses various options for women to access land including credit through cooperatives and through special financial institutions.

This article begins by establishing women's land and property rights within international human rights law. The author then moves to examine current systems of land tenure in Africa and the extent to which women are able to access their property rights. The article notes the discrepancy between women's responsibility for ensuring the family's food supply and the general lack of recognition of women's rights in land.