Examines 8 reasons why addressing housing, land and property issues is important in humanitarian response, including: addressing loss of land or inability to return to land and homes after disasters, and protecting women and supporting their recovery.

Africa’s poor are heavily dependent on land and natural resources for livelihood, but some governments continue to resist transferring full resource management rights to them. This risks the loss or degradation of these resources, or their transfer into private hands. The continent’s development challenges are compounded by many factors, including unequal social, economic and political relations, the legacy of colonialism, globalisation, and collusive neo-liberal policy which favours capital and powerful allies.

Includes incidences of land grabbing in the region, land grabbing from the supply and demand sides, community resistance to land grabbing, what should be done on land grabbing, way forward.

Designed to help investors ensure that their land-based investments are inclusive, sustainable, transparent, and respect human rights. Jointly developed by the African Union, FAO and donor governments, including the UK, Germany, France and the US. Includes structure of the framework, the importance of identifying stakeholders, the crucial role of host governments.

Comprises executive summary, introduction, and chapters on historical perspective of land tenure, situation analysis, land policy objectives and strategies, institutional framework, and funding. The main emphasis is to address the problems of the land delivery system to ensure equitable access to land resources. Includes sections on land tenure and land allocation to foreigners, environmental issues, land disputes and gender – the Policy seeks to redress gender imbalances and other forms of discrimination in land tenure.

Jose Negrao died on 9 July 2005, aged 49. He was one of the most important intellectuals and researchers in Mozambique, was a leading figure in the Land Campaign and a strong defender of peasant land rights. We publish this interview with him in recognition of and in mourning a great and truly independent fighter who did not conform to what others expected but always pursued his own way. He was hugely influential during the Land Campaign and his success then derived from the fact that people trusted his integrity and his independence.

Statement of principles adopted at NLC policy summit in June 2000 on the above subjects plus cross cutting issues.

Introduction and background, by Julian Quan (DFID); Piloting local administration of records in Ekuthuleni, KwaZulu-Natal, by Donna Hornby (AFRA, South Africa); Ivory Coast’s Plan Foncier Rural: lessons from a pilot project to register customary rights, by Camilla Toulmin (IIED); Customary land identification and recording in Mozambique, by Chris Tanner; Supporting local rights: will the centre let go?

Civil society formations in Africa have historically played an important part in the establishment of organising people in the pursuit of common goals. The majority of Africa’s people reside in rural areas where they derive their livelihoods from land, and for this majority secure access to land is the foundation of any efforts to alleviate poverty. Land reforms in Africa are at various stages of development in a number of countries, partly in response to pressures for liberalisation and privatisation from the World Bank and other like-minded institutions.

Covers why indigenous and community land rights matter for everyone; progress or retreat? What is happening on the ground; what do we need to change?

Globalisation impacts on local land markets and land-use, land transaction costs affect food prices, and the combined effect is particularly damaging to women who produce food and put food on the table for their families. Article examines what is attracting investors and market speculators into the farm and land sectors; what is at stake for small farmers – especially women farmers – and long-term impacts for food production and food security; and what action is needed to enable women to secure access to natural resource and land assets for current and future generations?

Contains summary of proceedings, discussions and feedback, and list of resolutions. Topics include the need for reform, the road map to land reform, framework for stakeholder support – funding arrangements, urban land reform.