13 December 2018: In its 2018 annual report titled, ‘The Geography of Land Rights,’ Landesa maps progress towards realizing more equitable land rights across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Among other achievements, the report highlights the adoption of Liberia’s land reform bill, describing it as one of the most progressive on the African continent, and policy changes in India and Myanmar “that could strengthen land rights for an estimated 76 million men and women.”

The report charts progress towards more gender-inclusive land policies and land-related training and legal literacy programmes developed specifically for women farmers. One of the examples highlighted is a programme in northeastern Brazil that has developed practical tools for working with a broad range of stakeholders to identify and address gender-based inequalities and empower women to influence relevant public policies in the framework of the SDGs.

Noting the impacts of rapid urbanization in China on rural landscapes, the report highlights Landesa’s support for draft national legislation aimed at strengthening the land tenure rights of China’s rural farmers. The report also describes initiatives that help to consolidate land ownership once households have secured their land rights, such as a land livelihoods programme being implemented by several states in India that provides farmers with access to farm inputs, credit and training.

The report describes how Landesa builds on these local and national achievements in its global advocacy, such as a new campaign to close the gender gap land rights programmes and policies. [Publication: Landesa 2018 Annual Report] [Landesa News Release]