Youth and women’s indigenous land rights in the spotlight at the 4th Conference of National Land Institutions in Africa (ALIN 2023)

From September 12 to 14, 2023 in Tanzania (in Arusha, Mont Meru Hotel), we participate to the 4th Conference of National Land Institutions in Africa, with the aim of securing communities’ land rights. At the invitation of the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), the YILAA Coordinator, Innocent Antoine Houedji took part and was called to present a paper on the topic: “Youth’s access to land in Africa: Regional Perspectives”. This presentation was an opportunity to make young people’s voices heard on their effective inclusion in the land policies of the countries and then to call on the various stakeholders to take joint action.

YILAA Team

The Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) organizes the event twice a year in collaboration with a host country and its collaborators. This year, Tanzania was chosen as host country through its Ministry of Land and Housing, in collaboration with the Tanzania Land Alliance and the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group.

In attendance were land institutions from 11 African countries, made up of international and local participants. They shared their experiences, opportunities and challenges in advancing land rights for African communities, with a particular focus on women, youth and pastoralists.

After the opening ceremony, the coordinator, Innocent Antoine Houedji, presented a paper on “Youth’s access to land in Africa: Regional perspectives”. During the presentation, he pointed out that young people in Africa represent 54% of the agricultural workforce and account for the majority of the population. He shared the results of an informal survey conducted by YILAA in 20 African countries, the findings of which helped the network produce recommendations for governments to improve the role of young people in land governance and decision-making. Innocent stressed the importance of local governments helping young people to own land for agriculture, and investing in their own land mapping and land governance training programs. Innocent also shared the main current platforms and campaigns on land rights that young people can engage in globally and regionally.

A number of other presentations and group work culminated in a final declaration, the first recommendation take into account the youth and women indigenous land rights in our communities.

So, this conference once again reinforces the inclusion of youth and women and confirms the vital role they play in our communities.

FINAL DECLARATION OF ARUSHA, TANZANIA, ALIN 2023

Final-Declaration-of-4th-ALIN-Conference-ArushaDownload

Website : RRI

SOMES PICTURES

Press Book :

Daily information : https://rightsandresources.org/event-fourth-alin-conference/?swcfpc=1

Press release : https://rightsandresources.org/blog/national-land-institutions-and-ministries-from-11-african-countries-gather-in-arusha-to-scale-up-community-land-rights/

Author: LA REDACTION