9 December 2014: A group of experts from the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN)/UN-Habitat and others in the field of land readjustment met in order to write a book on participatory inclusive land readjustment (PILaR). The group convened in Elementaita, Kenya, from 24-28 November 2014. PILaR borrows from conventional land readjustment, which is increasingly being used in developing countries, and is one way in which to convert open fields and slums into livable urban neighborhoods. It involves taking an area of land with many owners through an inclusive, negotiated process, and making it a single unit for planning, reparceling and development.

PILaR ensures that landowners, as well as other stakeholders, such as renters, are involved in the decision-making process. In addition, the outcomes must be inclusive, favoring neighborhoods that bring together different income and social groups, and discouraging segregated neighborhoods and gated communities.

During the meeting, participants employed the ‘writeshop approach’ to produce the book, which will eventually be published as a PILaR Manual or Source Book. Experts wrote, made presentations, and reviewed and revised manuscripts on land and property issues, a legal framework, planning and design, finance, governance and participation and communication. Other chapters address collecting and analyzing data, community participation, monitoring and evaluation, and cross-cutting issues such as human rights, gender mainstreaming, youth responsiveness and environmental impact assessment.

The GLTN is an alliance of global, regional and national partners contributing to poverty alleviation through land reform, improved land management and security tenure, through the development and dissemination of pro-poor and gender-sensitive land tools. [UN-Habitat News Story] [GLTN Website]