ANGOC organized a regional training program on Enhancing Land Reform Monitoring Effectiveness last 7-10 May 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. Eighteen representatives from Land Watch Asia (LWA) partners and ILC members in seven countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines) participated in the event.

As part of ANGOC/LWA’s CSO Land Reform Monitoring Initiative, the four-day activity sought to enhance partners’ capacities in using the land reform monitoring framework, as well as in knowledge-building and sharing. The training was a response to the need not only to effectively communicate results to decision makers but also to improve the quality of data gathering in land reform monitoring. Sessions were given on research methods, policy analysis, integrating indigenous peoples’ and women’s perspectives in land monitoring, report writing and presentation, and social media for advocacy. In addition, the International Land Coalition (ILC) provided sessions via Skype on data generation and using indicators; the Land Matrix; information visualization; Land Portal; and successful advocacy campaigns; Open Development Cambodia shared their experiences with open data and mapping. The training methodology was a combination of lectures and exercises.

The CSO Land Reform Monitoring Initiative aims to: enhance platforms, dialogue and common action on land-related issues among CSOs, governments and IGOs, and develop  CSOs’ capacity to monitor land tenure and access to land. Land Watch Asia is a regional campaign to ensure that access to land, agrarian reform and sustainable development for the rural poor are addressed in national and regional development agenda. LWA campaign activities, including this training program, receive support from ILC and MISEREOR.