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Why I am passionate about Landesa’s mission:
Secure land and property rights provide those people who hold them with a space of their own, something which they control and about which they make decisions, free from the arbitrary authority or intervention of others. Because of this, secure land and property rights open the doors of autonomy and prosperity. A wonderful thing about our work is that we partner with governments, local leaders and women and men around the world to throw open these doors, creating more hope, more opportunity and more security for millions of people.
About Karol
Karol Boudreaux is the Senior Director, Global Programs for Landesa. Before re-joining Landesa in 2025, Karol served as the Senior Land and Resources Governance Advisor at the US Agency for International Development where she worked with Agency staff and governments to strengthen land governance and promote policies and legal changes needed to recognize and respect land and property rights for women and men. Karol previously served as Landesa’s Chief Program Officer and as the Director of Landesa’s Center for Women’s Land Rights. She was the Land and Resource Rights Practice Lead at the Clouburst Group and before that taught at George Mason University and at Clemson University. Karol has over 20 years of experience working on land rights and land governance issues, including on land and conflict, women’s land rights, land administration and land-based investments.
Education
- BA, Douglass College, Rutgers University
- JD, University of Virginia
Selected Publications
Panfil, Y., Stark, J. Freudenberger, M., Boudreaux, K. and Robustelli, T. (2025). Thinking and Working Politically on Land Tenure. New America, Washington, D.C.
Boudreaux, K. and Abrahams, D. (2022). Land and Conflict: A Toolkit for Intervention. USAID, Washington, D.C.
Boudreaux, K. and Neyman, Y. (2015). Operational Guidelines for Responsible Land-based Investment. USAID, Washington, DC.
Boudreaux, K. and Cowen, T. (2008). The Micromagic of Microcredit. Wilson Quarterly, Washington, DC.
Boudreaux, K. and Aligica, P.D. (2007) Paths to Property: Approaches to Institutional Change in International Development. Institute for Economic Affairs, London, UK. Hobart Paper No. 162.
Areas of Expertise
- Land governance
- Land laws and policies
- Compulsory acquisition and resettlement
- Land and conflict
- Women’s land rights
International Experience
- Botswana, Burkina Faso, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Kosovo, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Timor L’Este, Uganda, Zambia
