Case Study: What Does Registration of Communal Land Mean to Namibians?

Includes views of land registration in Omahalya Village in the Omusati Region of Namibia, connection to the land, value of registration, protection from land grabbing and conflicts, investing in their land, women’s empowerment, the commonage. Concludes that the village is a promising example of the benefits of Communal Land rights registration. The villagers feel safer on their land, invest more, have fewer conflicts and more equitable inheritance. Believes that while land rights registration alone will not bring prosperity to communal areas, it does bring additional social stability and cohesion to communal areas, and has already significantly improved the lives of the households in Omahalya village.