Both the United Nations and Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognize property rights as a human right. But in many parts of the developing world, customary practices preclude women from obtaining and exercising these rights, even where nominally protected. Econometric studies suggest that legal protection of property rights is essential to encouraging agricultural investment, and increasing productivity and economic stability. Little research has been done to understand property rights’ effects on health. I use a land certification program from Ethiopia as a natural experiment through which to examine the effects of women’s access to property rights on their ability to bargain within the household, and resultant changes in health and health-related behaviors. I will present findings from my econometric analysis of two datasets about the effects of this land certification program on health outcomes for women, and possible changes in domestic violence and sexual behavior as it relates to HIV/AIDS.
