Landesa partners with governments and multilateral institutions to support land reform efforts and elevate land rights in regional development agendas in Southeast Asia.
BAJAWA, KUPANGNEWS.COM — Marking a historic milestone, the Government of Ngada Regency, in partnership with the Ngada Land Office and Landesa Indonesia, formally recognized the Karo Indigenous Community’s customary land—the first such registration in Indonesia’s national land system through a participatory, community-led process.
After decades without secure shelter, Naima and her family in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans gained legal access to land through a government lease program after attending a training supported by Shushilan and Landesa. They are now building a permanent home and planting a garden—laying the groundwork for a more stable future.
This program reflection from the Coastal Livelihoods and Mangroves Project explores how gender norms shape women’s and girls’ experiences of climate change in Bangladesh’s coastal communities. Drawing on fieldwork in Satkhira and Khulna districts, Shushilan’s Snigdha Ghosh highlights how unequal access to forest resources and mobility restrictions limit women’s participation in climate resilience efforts—reinforcing vulnerabilities and increasing the risk of gender-based violence. The insights underscore the need for gender-sensitive climate action that centers the voices and rights of women and girls.
Meet Sophal Sam, Landesa’s Cambodia National Coordinator. Sophal started working for Landesa in 2021.
A new Landesa report explores the interconnectedness of women’s land rights, climate action, and the Women, Peace & Security (WPS) agenda. The report presents a novel conceptual model and case studies to illustrate how women’s land rights, climate action, and WPS can support and influence one another.
A new Landesa report provides insights about the climate change vulnerability of Cambodia’s coastal Community Fisheries. The report seeks to provide key insights to enhance community members’ understanding of their susceptibility to climate change and highlight the importance of enacting plans to strengthen their resilience.
We are pleased to share Landesa’s 2024 Annual Report, which highlights our impact over the past year and introduces our 2025-27 Strategic Plan.
This Learning Brief, co-authored with Parliamentary Centre of Asia, highlights findings from a baseline survey and qualitative assessments Landesa’s local partners carried out in five Community Fisheries (CFis) in Cambodia that are part of a Coastal Livelihoods and Mangroves project. The brief describes gender dynamics in CFi participation and management, notes root causes of inequities related to social norms and local beliefs, and provides insights into effective interventions and pathways for strengthening CFis, livelihoods, and mangrove ecosystem health through gender equality.
A new Landesa report shows how strengthening local rights to manage coastal resources in Cambodia can protect livelihoods, restore mangrove forests, and fight climate change. Many community fishery organizations face challenges like unclear boundaries and limited control over their resources, putting both ecosystems and livelihoods at risk. This report shares findings from carbon studies at two pilot sites, highlighting how strengthening land rights can help expand Cambodia’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and meet its climate goals.
Landesa contributed to a peer-reviewed study comparing 50 coastal villages with community forest (CF) certification to 50 control villages, revealing significant positive outcomes for mangrove conservation in Myanmar. CF sites saw reduced deforestation, enhanced regrowth, and a surprising spillover effect, where nearby non-CF areas also experienced increased forest cover. The study underscores the long-term benefits of government and INGO support, while highlighting the need for sustainable community management and governance to ensure continued success in protecting vital ecosystems.