Property Rights for Poverty Reduction

Abstract

"Rights over land and other natural resources play a fundamental role in human society. The distribution of wealth and poverty is a reflection of underlying property rights. But reforming property rights to give poor women and men greater access to and greater control over resources is not an easy task. This brief explains why property rights are important for poverty reduction, describes the challenges faced in attempting to strengthen the property rights of poor people, and identifies potential policies for overcoming these challenges."