# This beautiful land: Corruption, discrimination and land rights in Sub-Saharan Africa URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/corruption-discrimination-land-rights-subsaharan-africa Type: Publication or report Published: 2024-04-12 Updated: 2024-04-19 --- 12 April 2024 Across the globe, corruption denies people access to the land and resources they rely upon for their survival. At the same time, discrimination – direct and indirect – on grounds ranging from disability to ethnicity and from gender to religion, acts to deny land rights to the most marginalised. There is extensive evidence of corruption and discrimination impeding the equal enjoyment of land rights. To date, however, the relationship between these phenomena has been underexplored. This report seeks to fill that gap. In 2021, Transparency International and the Equal Rights Trust published [*Defying Exclusion: Stories and Insights on the Links between Discrimination and Corruption*.](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/defying-exclusion-corruption-discrimination) Bringing together a diverse group of case studies from across the globe, it documented and illustrated the mutually reinforcing links – the vicious cycle – between discrimination and corruption. Defying Exclusion marked the first attempt to systematically explore the phenomena we termed “discriminatory corruption.” This new publication explores – for the first time – the dynamics of corruption and discrimination in the land sector. It examines evidence and presents case studies from seven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to understand how these harms exacerbate one another and fuel land inequalities. ### Related publications ## [Regional Assessment of Integrity in Political Finance in South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/integrity-political-finance-asia) Publication • 03 September 2026 This report reviews systems across 17 countries to identify the areas of political finance most in need of reform. ## [Annual Report 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/annual-report-2025) Publication • 17 July 2026 In 2025, Transparency International pursued its mission to stop corruption and promote transparency, accountability and integrity at all levels and across all sectors of society. ## [Whistleblowing Authorities in Europe: Roles, challenges and lessons learned](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/whistleblowing-authorities-in-europe-roles-challenges-and-lessons-learned) Publication • 19 June 2026 This report examines the institutional design, mandates and functioning of national whistleblowing authorities across Europe. ## [Closing the Gaps: Detecting and investigating corrupt money flows in the Middle East and North Africa](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/closing-the-gaps-middle-east-and-north-africa) Publication • 13 May 2026 Corruption and illicit financial flows remain serious and ongoing challenges across the Middle East and North Africa. ## Priorities - [Land corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/land-corruption) ## Countries - [Zambia](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/zambia) - [South Africa](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/south-africa) - [Kenya](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/kenya) - [Madagascar](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/madagascar) - [Zimbabwe](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/zimbabwe) - [Uganda](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/uganda) - [Ghana](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/ghana) ## Regions - [Sub-Saharan Africa](https://www.transparency.org/en/region/sub-saharan-africa) ## Projects - [Land corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/land-corruption-sub-saharan-africa) ![](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/land-cover.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=1200) [Download](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/24.04.09_LO-RES-REV-THIS-BEAUTIFUL-LAND-LCD-REPORT.pdf)