Across the globe, the legal land rights and tenure of many Indigenous peoples are yet to be recognized. A growing body of research demonstrates that tenure of Indigenous lands improves livelihoods and protects forests in addition to inherently recognizing human rights. However, the effect of tenure on environmental outcomes has scarcely been tested in regions with high development pressure, such as those with persisting forest–agriculture conflicts.

The laws in the Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic provide limited protection to indigenous peoples and local communities regarding access to land and forest resources. Often, logging concessions overlap their territories, restricting access to lands and resources. However, the development of community forests is gaining momentum in the region. These can help secure customary tenure, sustainably manage resources and improve livelihoods for indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs).

Measuring gender inequality in land ownership is essential for assessing progress in women’s economic empowerment, tracing the impact of progressive laws on actual practice, and monitoring SDG 5 on gender equality. To effectively assess inter-gender (male-female) gaps in land ownership, however, requires multiple measures. We also need to know which women are more likely to own land by tracing intra-gender differences. To date, no study on India has provided a full range of measures on inter-gender inequality in land ownership or focused on intra-gender variations.

This report presents the results of a mixed-methods study on the role of customary land documentation in strengthening Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE). The overarching purpose was to help fill critical knowledge gaps on if and how strengthening women’s land rights via formalized customary land documentation affects their empowerment and economic growth, with a specific focus on women’s access to credit and other financial services, land investments and income opportunities.

The Customary Land Rights Act, 2022 (Sierra Leone)

Msonkhano Wodziwitsa Atsogoleri a ma Dipatimenti ndi Mabungwe a pa Boma

Mamembala a nthambi yoyendetsa chitukuko pa Boma ayenera kudziwa za lamulo la malo a makolo koyambirira kuti asankhe dera lomwe angakayambire ntchito zokhudza lamuloli.

Msonkhano Wodziwitsa Makomiti a ADC, VDC ndi Magulu a m’madera za Lamulo la Malo a Makolo

Makomiti a ADC ndi VDC ndi ofunika kwambiri pothandiza anthu a m’madera mwawo kumvetsetsa za lamulo la malo a makolo.

Chisankho cha Komiti Yoyendetsa za Malo a Makolo

Translation of the Customary

This one-pager provides details on the LAND-at-scale project in Mali. This project is implemented by SNV, KIT, Université des Sciences Juridiques et Politiques de Bamako and Coordination Nationale des Organisations Paysannes, and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the Netherlands Enterprise & Development Agency. 

This one-pager provides details on the LAND-at-scale project in Uganda. This project is implemented by the Global Land Tool Network, faciliated by UN-Habitat, and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the Netherlands Enterprise & Development Agency. 

Given its seemingly beneficial aspects to socioeconomic development and environmental well-being, the legislative reforms initiated under the Land Act of Bhutan, 2007 have raised so much consternation as well as hope in the minds of the Bhutanese people who either depend on livestock husbandry or leasing out such rights to others with livestock and compensated with payment in cash or kind in the form of livestock products.