Earlier this year, the outgoing President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf handed over power to George Weah in the country’s first peaceful and democratic transition of power since 1944. It was a moment that crystallized just how far Liberia had come in the last 13 years, since a 2005 peace agreement brought an end to over a decade of civil war, raising hopes internationally that the country remains on course towards lasting peace.

Northern Tanzania’s iconic savannah landscapes, home to some of the greatest cultural and biological diversity found anywhere in the world, encapsulate many of the challenges and opportunities facing community land rights in Africa. In contrast to most African countries, Tanzania’s landmark 1999 land reforms provide full legal recognition of customary land rights, which are administered through elected village councils.

Cerco por sequía a comunidades q’eqchi’.

Helmer Velásquez

As members of the land community, we know that access to a stable and flourishing piece of land, even the smallest plot or parcel, has the potential to be ground-breaking and life-changing. It means the difference between health and illness, between being read and illiterate, and in the most extreme cases, the difference between being fed and hungry.  In essence, it determines one’s life path, the key factor between qualifying for essential government services and living at the peripheries and margins of society.

A civil society perspective on engaging with the private sector

Towards SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

By Mike Powell, Development Information Specialist, facilitator of monitoring and evaluative processes with the Land Portal and volunteer member of its Technical Advisory Group​

By Phyllis Omido, Founder of the Center for Justice Governance and Environmental Action

The announcement of the winners of this year’s Goldman Environmental Prize is an opportunity to celebrate activist leaders. But it is also a moment to recognize just how much courage their efforts (and those of a great many others) can demand.

By Monique Villa and Peter Rabley

What would happen if you suddenly lost your home? Beyond bricks and mortar, this is a safe place for you and your family. It’s your sanctuary, a space which is yours. If you were forced from it tomorrow, with no alternative, how would you survive?

By Chris Jochnick, President and CEO of Landesa

The development community has experienced various “revolutions” over the years – from microfinance to women’s rights, from the green revolution to sustainable development.  Each of these awakenings has improved our understanding of the challenges we face; each has transformed the development landscape, mostly for the better.

Colombia’s peaceful future hinges greatly on how the country deals with one issue: land.