Land right is a human right

Asia alone constitutes 55% of the global poverty. Of which, 76% are living in rural areas (IFAD, 2016). For the rural communities, land is not just an economic commodity but a necessary instrument of equity for the poor. Without land tenure security, communities may be easily displaced and forcibly evicted, losing their sources of food, livelihood, and shelter. Hence, secure land tenure lies at the core of people’s land rights.

While the Post-2015 Agenda accompanied by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is at hand, it is critical to realize access to land and agrarian reform in achieving three related SDGs on (Goal 1) ending poverty in all forms; (Goal2) attaining zero hunger; and (Goal 16) promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions.

On 24-25 November 2016, around 70 representatives from CSOs and national human rights institutions, and regional institutions in eight Asian countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Nepal, Philippines, and Vietnam) participated in the regional workshop on Land as Human Rights: An Imperative towards the Realization of the Sustainable Development Goals in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to:

• provide a status of the road map and/or the implementation of SDG goals 1, 2 and 16 in Asia;
• present and discuss the land governance challenges in Asia;
• present and discuss the two sub-regional approach papers on linking land as human rights; and,
• formulate a regional agenda to pursue responsible land governance and recognizing land as human rights towards contributing to the achievement of SDGs.

Main challenge identified is the weakness in land governance attributed to the adverse effects of corporate investments and development projects resulting to community evictions, displacements, violation of women’s and indigenous people’s land rights, increasing out-migration, and abuse by creditors; which then leads to social, political, and economic conflicts.

In pursuing the campaign on land right as a human right, this initiative will be mainstreamed in the global level through the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; in the regional level through regional organizations and commissions such as the Southeast Asia National Human Rights Institutions Forum (SEANF), ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), and South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC); in the national level through national human rights institutions; and in the community level through tools and data indicators.

To achieve tenure security, land rights advocates will be influencing the SDGs through capacity building, advocacy activities, and networking using evidence-based approach, multi-sectoral partnerships, and collective advocacy.

This workshop was organized by Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC), International Land Coalition (ILC-Asia), Land Watch Asia (LWA) and STAR Kampuchea (SK), in partnership with Forum Syd, HEKS/EPER-Cambodia and United Nations Cambodia Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCOHCHR).

The summary report is being prepared and will be posted in the ANGOC website.

Participants of the workshop.

ANGOC Executive Director opening the program.

STAR Kampuchea Executive Director Chet Charya moderating the panel of discussion.

Danilo Antonio of GLTN presenting the “Land in the SDGs and New Urban Agenda and Updates on the Global Land Indicators Initiative.”

Komas HAM Commissioner Dianto Banchriadi presenting the highlights of the paper on “Mainstreaming land rights as human rights in Southeast Asia.”

Professor Laya Prasad Uprety presenting the highlights of the paper on “Mainstreaming land rights as human rights in South Asia.”

Philippine Commission of Human Rights Commissioner Leah Armamento giving reactions to the papers on mainstreaming land rights as human rights.

Gallianne Palayret of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights for Cambodia presenting the UN Guiding Principles in Business and Human Rights.

Planning workshop: Cambodia group

Planning workshop: Mekong Group

Planning workshop: South Asia Group

Planning workshop: Southeast Asia Group

Roel Ravanera of ANGOC summarizing the presented plans of the breakout sessions.