Legal empowerment for local resource control: Securing local resource rights within foreign investment projects in Africa | Land Portal

Resource information

Date of publication: 
September 2007
Resource Language: 
ISBN / Resource ID: 
mokoro:5676

This report draws lessons from experience of using legal processes to secure local resource rights within the context of foreign investment projects in Africa. Security of local resource rights is a major challenge in many parts of Africa. The analysis of relevant law reveals that resource rights associated with more powerful interests (foreign investment) tend to enjoy greater legal protection compared to those held by local resource users. However, legal tools accompanied by adequate capacity-building efforts can help redress this imbalance and strengthen protection of local resource rights. By increasing local resource control, effective use of these tools can help disadvantaged groups gain greater control over their lives (‘legal empowerment’).

Authors and Publishers

Author(s), editor(s), contributor(s): 

Lorenzo Cotula

Publisher(s): 

Data provider

mokoro-land-rights-in-africa.png

Mokoro is pleased to host the ’Land Rights in Africa’ site as a contribution to the land rights dialogue and related debates. This website was created in January 2000 by Robin Palmer, and was originally housed by Oxfam GB, where Robin worked as a Land Rights Adviser. A library of resources on land rights in Africa – with a particular focus on women’s land rights and on the impact of land grabbing in Africa – the portal has been well received by practitioners, researchers and policy makers, and has grown considerably over the years.

Geographical focus

Share this page