Last 12-16 May, ILC members and partners, together with grassroots organizations, activists, local and international NGOs, researchers, multilateral organisations and government agencies from around the world gathered in the 2015 Global Land Forum held in Dakar, Senegal, themed, “Land Governance for Inclusive Development, Justice and Sustainability: Time for Action.”

The event opened with a celebration of “Africa Day” where land issues in Africa were deliberated and articulated. It was also a celebration and showcase of responsible governance practices in the continent.

ILC Asia members actively participated in the breakout sessions on family farming, indigenous land rights, women’s inheritance rights, access to land, Land Matrix, community-based monitoring and information systems, and Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT) implementation – where ANGOC presented its initiative in promoting the VGGT in the Philippines.

An awarding of best practices on land governance was also held, where the Philippines’ National Confederation of Small Farmers’ and Fishers’ Organization (PAKISAMA) was one of the nominees in Asia documenting the Twenty years of non-violent protest to benefit from the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. Uganda Land Alliance won the award with their story on Strong Communal Land Associations claim compensations for investments in their territories.

Finally, ILC Asia members chose Mr. Nathaniel Don Marquez of ANGOC and Mr. Jagat Basnet of Community Self-Reliance Centre (CSRC) as representatives of ILC Asia for the next two years. Joining ANGOC and CSRC to the Asia Steering Committee are Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD), Consortium for Agrarian Reform (KPA), and Rural Development Fund (RDF).