VFI and Rights-LINK Lao Presentation

8/14/2019 VFI and Rights-LINK Lao Presentation

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PRESENTATION BY KHAMLA PHOUTHARATHPROJECT MANAGER

RIGHTS-LINK LAO (LAND INFORMATION NETWORKING ANDKNOWLEDGE)

New weapons of the weak :Information, networking and

knowledge. Tools for improving landrights of local people


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Contents

Overview of VFIOverview of land issues in Laos

General Laos and land management

Key issues related to landImproving information and awareness on legalrights

Land use planning-land-titling

Communication and networking to influence policy Through legal channels

Lessons for consideration/Challenges


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- Began working in Laos in January 2001- In partnership with the Global Association for

people and the Environment (GAPE)

- In 2003 MOU with the Salavan Provincial Office of Agriculture and Forestry

- In 2005 MOU with Non-Formal Education of Ministry of Education

- In 2009 began receiving support for Rights-LINK Lao project which focus on Land Rights andNatural Resource Management.

VFI BACKGROUNDVFI BACKGROUND


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Protection andEmpowerment for Women

and Children Program

Health,Health,Education andEducation and

LeadershipLeadership(HEAL)(HEAL)

Land andLand andLivelihoodsLivelihoods

(L&L)(L&L)

The integrated VILLAGE FOCUS developmentconceptVFI Laos

Training Centers

Training Centers


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STAFFSTAFFIn 2000 VFI Laos had only employees. Since then

we have grown to 47 full time staff, a youth groupwith 8 members, Rights-LINK project with 15members and more than 20 farmer trainers and a

number of adult literacy and health volunteersengaged on short term contracts.


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Target AreasTarget Areas


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Greater mekong sub regionLaos: from land locked to land linked

From Economically isolated to the battery of asia

Thailand(1,835 km inthe west)

Cambodia(435 km in

the south)

China (505 kmin the north)

Myanmar (236km in the north-west)

Vietnam

(2,069 km inthe east)


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Land and Forest Cover

23 million ha in total9.8 million hectares of forest area includingplantation forests

Around 5 million ha of agriculture land70% mountainouscountry

High biodiversity spotsand potential forgreen-development(tourism, REDD, etc)


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Socio Economic Overview

Population: 5.6 millionPopulation density: 24 km 2Religion: 80% BuddhismMore than 41 ethnic groups,no indigenous people as such.Everyone has same rights onpaperGDP: 500 USD (2006)

Poverty high in upland areas


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Policy and legal aspects of land and naturalresource management

Overlapping laws in relation to land and natural resourcemanagement, which creates confusion and competition

between ministries.Inflexible policies and laws on land management that donot take into account the local level realities and place local

populations in a disadvantaged position.The interest of policy and law makers in more precise and

nuanced information to understand the costs and benefits of different options and make more informed decisions


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Key issues and gaps related community rights toland/ land on tenure

Farmers and communities have no legalrights to land

Land use planning has yet to be done Land titling still to be carried in rural areas Uncertain how communal land will be dealt with

Increasing land use conflicts. Lack of local staff and leader capacity. Lack of coordination amongst all

stakeholders Farmers and communities lack mechanisms

to seek recourse to problems


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Three strategies for improvingcommunities access and control over land


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Land use planning, titling and communalland titling

Working with government and NGOs to implementnew land use planning process in target provinces

Trying to act as bridge between MAF and NLMA along with other NGOs

PLUP/LA to lead to individual and communaltitlingThis would be followed up with community based

NRM (Forestry, etc) to ensure communities areempowered to protect and manage their resourcesTesting out approaches to land management at thesub-district level to create local networks


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Working with and through a number of national networks: Land Issues Working Group (LIWG)

Working with and through LIWG consortium of NGOs committed toimproving land rights of local people.

LIWG acts as a platform for NGOs to work collectively with theGovernment on different areas

Carried out studies and workshops related to land issues Currently working with Gov. to implement new PLUP/La Regulations

MIC-MAC, Gender Development Working Group

and Mak Phet (Chili Group) which are working onland related issues Rights-LINK supporting establishment of

network for 5 southern provinces where land

issues are most pressing

Networking


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Information and Knowledge

Rights LINK is establishing the LINK Centre which will be a space for :accessing information (Digital and physical) on land andnatural resource managementSeeking advice and consultation (Lao Bar to set upconsultation area)Dialogue on land related issues, particularly workshops,debates and activitiesCenter will open up before December welcome all fromregion to visit!

Carrying out collaborative research to gain better understanding of land related issues with NAFRI, NUOL and other researchagencies (and foreign researchers).


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Communication and dissemination

Producing materials on land and legal rightsSupporting the production of best practices from other NGOsand agencies to be disseminated widely Production of the Legal guidebook on Village rights andresponsibilities to manage land and forest resources

Developing case study series on land conflicts and issuesWorking with CIDSE to translate key documents from differentcountries to provide to Lao policy markers.Developing Law Calendar with CIDSE, JVC and VFI

CommunicationPolicy group to be established to link more directly with policymakers in key ministriesEstablishing partnership with Lao Radio and LNTV to have showon land rights and responsibilities

Will establish Lao Land Information discussion group


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Legal Support

Accessing recourse through legal channels is justbeginning in Lao many different organizationsnow partnering up with Faculty of Law and LaoBar Association to improve legal understanding at

the local level through barefoot lawyersVFI is currently focusing on:Supporting law students to carry out paralegal courses atthe village level

Developing conflict management materials and trainingAccess to justice survey with Lao Bar associationDeveloping understanding about legal ways to supportcommunal land titling


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Challenges

Developing policy makers awareness andunderstanding of local issues and concerns andhow they can be solved

Empowering local people to protect their rights interms of land issues and natural resourcemanagement.

Capacity of government to manage land in fastchanging environment Overlap of performance among the government

partners at all levels Transparent procedures are in place and staff have

capacity to implement Staff have ability to enforce and monitor (legally and

empowered to do so)


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Thank You

Thank you !

Documents

VFI and Rights-LINK Lao Presentation