Land rights matter for people and the planet

An options paper for raising awareness on responsible land governance for combatting desertification, land degradation, and drought.

Tenure security is a crucial enabler for land degradation neutrality. Without rights to property, communities lack the security to invest in the ecosystems on which they depend, which can hinder uptake of sustainable management practices even when support for them is offered. In September 2019, Parties to the UNCCD adopted a landmark decision 26/COP14 on Land Tenure at the 14th Conference of the Parties (COP14), requesting the Secretariat explore options on how to increase public knowledge of responsible land governance as a key aspect of combating desertification, land degradation, and drought among all stakeholders. This paper offers options on how to increase awareness of land tenure and responsible land governance to catalyze action towards land degradation neutrality. The paper utilizes a gender equitable and socially inclusive approach to raising awareness, centering the equitable representation and leadership of vulnerable groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, youth, pastoralists, migrants, and persons with disabilities, in these efforts.

This options paper has been produced with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Government of Canada.