“Bora” and Beyond: Implications on Women’s Access to Land in Peri‐Urban Settlement in Sierra Leone

In the North-west of Sierra Leone, customary land access hinges on "Bora" – a system tied to respect and social obligations, not formal ownership. ’’Bora’’ payment is a small token strangers and women from non-land-owning families give to the community or landowner related to accessing land for farming, building a house, using natural resources, or other purposes, usually a basket of rice or a few chickens, to allow them to use a piece of land to grow food for their families. This study is the first to utilize the "Bora" practice to examine land governance issues in rural areas of Sierra Leone.This study uses a mixed-methods approach, including biographic surveys and interviews with key stakeholders, to understand the social, economic, cultural, and political factors influencing women's land rights in the context of a case study.The findings from this study contributes to ongoing debates about gender, land rights, and the evolving nature of customary practices in the face of economic and social transformations. It recommends that policymakers and development practitioners consider the nuances of the "Bora" practices beyond the lens of mere monetization and advocate for solutions that truly empower rural women in land ownership and management.