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Issues / Indigenous & Community Land Rights

Indigenous & Community Land Rights

With secure land tenure, Indigenous Peoples and local communities can realize human rights, achieve economic growth, protect the environment, and maintain cultural integrity. For centuries, Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) have used, managed and depended on collectively-held land for food supplies, cultural and spiritual traditions, and other livelihood needs. Historically governed through customary tenure systems rooted in community norms and practices that often go back centuries, governments often consider such community land as vacant, idle, or state-owned property.  Statutory recognition and protection of indigenous and community land rights continues to be a major challenge.

Resources for Indigenous & Community Land Rights

1088

News

3898

Library

191

Blogs

206

Projects

50

Statistical Data

10

Spatial Data

More on this issue

News Browse all

Indigenous Communities Urge Action on Collective Land Titles

13 March 2023

Just 38 indigenous communities out of 455 have received communal land titles since the government first made them available in 2009, with indigenous activists and rights groups bemoaning the notoriously slow process.

In memory of Robin Palmer

1 March 2023

Robin Palmer passed away on Sunday 19 February. Robin was a pro-poor land activist who worked tirelessly as an academic and practitioner in the land rights sector for more than five decades.

Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act that ‘recreates the Bantustans’ heads to ConCourt

20 February 2023

In South Africa rural citizens argue that by signing the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, the President made the abusive actions of traditional leaders legal. However they have no issue with the fact that, at last, the law recognises Khoi and San leaders and communities.

Projects

Blogs Browse all

SETTLER ATTACK BURNS WILU AND LEAVES AT LEAST 7 INDIGENOUS PEOPLE DEAD

13 March 2023

CALPI received information that the community of Wilú has been attacked by settlers on March 11, 2023 and that on March 10, 2023, three Mayangna community members and two children members of the Mískitu indigenous people were kidnapped; the kidnapped people were on their way from the community of…

Events Browse all

Taking Data Back: Women’s Sovereignty over Land Data

30 March 2023

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”.  The day aims to celebrate women and girls who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education. It  will also explore the impact of the digital gender…