Land Rights Protection from Gender Perspective: A Case of Land Rights Monitors in

Tanzania

Godfrey Eliseus MassayProgrammes Coordinator for Land

Tanzania Natural Resource Forum

Land Rights Monitors • Two individuals democratically

elected by villagers • A man and a woman • From each village that

received training from HAKIARDHI

• Willing to provide training, advice and support to their fellow villagers and village government.

• Given more training on land rights, environment and human rights, facilitation skills, land deals negotiation, networking and movement building.

LRMs

• This innovation started to be used in 2007

• There are more than 600 LRMs at the moment in more than 12 Districts

• HAKIARDHI is not the only organization that uses community representatives to sustain its projects

• However it is the only organization that engage men and women on equal basis

• LRMs submit period reports to HAKIARDHI

Securing Tenure Rights • Provision of Mass education• Strengthen village land

administration • Reclaimed land which was

grabbed • Mediation of land conflicts • Access to justice through

formal court system • Negotiation of land deals • Engagement with policy

makers, district leaders, and politicians

• Facilitate land ownership for women

• Engage with Media • Demand land use plan

Success Stories

• In Mufindi, two investors paid compensation because of pressure from LRMs and the communities.

• In Rufiji, LRMs demanded land use planning before land is acquired for investment

• In Kahama, LRMs have trained more than 150,000 people in 8 districts in 2 years

• In Morogoro , LRMs have negotiated a deal with investor- three villages are now receiving more than 50 Million Tsh. annually as CSR

• In Kilombero, LRM have demanded fair compensation- 120 houses build by investor for communities that lost land.

• In Kisarawe, LRMs have reclaimed more than 3000ha acquired by local investors, and successfully demanded land compensation which was delayed for 6 years by investor.

• LRMs in Kilindi and Kilombero have instituted and won case against investors who grabbed village land.

• In Morogoro LRMs have represented individuals in courts- using power of attorney

• Women LRMs played important role in training land rights for women and in resolving land conflicts

Some events attended by LRMs

LRMs attending National Land Forum LRMs attending media program

LRM speaking before MPs3 LRMs guest speakers at AGM

Challenges

• They depend on a team of lawyers from HAKIARDHI and LHRC

• Women-especially married LRMs are not very active

• They are often threated by politicians and local government leaders

• The demand for their work is more than their capacity

• Often they use their own resources (time and money)

• At the moment very few are active on the ground

• They need regular trainings

Way Forward

• A special program for LRM is needed • Regular trainings• Protection mechanism • This model can be replicated or scaled-up