Land ownership and Inheritance patterns in Eastern Zambia

The data was collected through a household questionnaire survey. It reports on land ownership, land inheritance and fate of widows in Chiefdoms in Eastern Zambia. The chiefdoms are inhabited by three dominant tribes. The hypothesis of the study was to test whether or not land inheritance patterns (patrilineal and matrilineal) influence land ownership. Further, the fate of the widow was explored. The objective was to ascertain whether land inheritance patterns influenced the fate of the widow, with a hypothesis that in patrilineal systems the widow was more likely to return to her natal village. The results provide interesting insights, revealing a gradual shift in gender norms and land inheritance patterns.