Land rights at the intersection of COVID-19 and climate change; Expert Hour podcast; International Day of Rural Women events.

This newsletter was sent on Oct. 13, 2020
Sign up to receive the next edition

Virtual trainings strengthen land rights for millions of women

Pinaki Halder, Landesa's National Director of Programs in India, conducts a virtual training on October 5.

Pinaki Halder (right), Landesa's National Director of Programs in India, conducts a virtual training on October 5.

WEST BENGAL – Despite ongoing lockdown measures, our India team has completed two major virtual trainings on women’s land rights for hundreds of government officials over the last month. By switching to remote trainings, we can continue making progress on strengthening women’s land rights and scaling reforms with our government partners across the country.

In September, we held an orientation for 346 district-level representatives who will subsequently train thousands of village-level representatives on women’s land rights. This session maintains momentum on a land literacy program that will reach over 1 million women in village self-help groups (community-level groups that offer training and support for women).

Additionally, last week Landesa livestreamed a virtual training for 145 panchayat (local government) officials on correctly issuing inheritance certificates and land titles in women’s names (pictured above). Continue reading →

A Sustainable Solution

By Rachel McMonagle, Landesa Climate Change and Land Tenure Specialist

A wide angle picture of people working in a rice paddy.

GLOBAL — COVID-19 and climate change are impacting all of us, but the dual disasters have a disproportionate impact on communities in emerging economies. These impacts are felt most acutely in rural areas, especially among indigenous communities and minority groups, and by women and others who are marginalized within those groups.

One fundamental factor unites them in their plight: rights to the land they depend on for food, identity, and survival, are too often insecure. Land rights in rural areas were already crucial for securing dignity and escaping poverty; but COVID-19 and climate change make land rights an increasingly vital solution in rural areas.

Listen Now: Advancing gender equality - Women, Land & the SDGs

Advancing Gender Equality: Women, land and the SDGs - listen to the podcast

Around the world, land is arguably the most important asset and a cornerstone of economic opportunity, entrepreneurship, and social empowerment. But in many places, rights to land are not equitably distributed to all – and women are most at risk.

In this podcast, Chandler Foundation and Landesa in partnership with Catalyst 2030 explore how strengthening women’s land rights can advance gender equality, fulfill the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals, and create a more prosperous and peaceful world for all.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Celebrating International Day of Rural Women on Oct. 15

Raise a glass in celebration of International Day of Rural Women Thursday, October 15!

Join Stand For Her Land’s Jen Abrahamson for a refreshing conversation on women’s land rights with Grace Robbings, Reuben’s Brews Co-Founder. And don’t forget to buy a beer: Reuben’s Brews will donate $1 from every sale to Stand For Her Land.

Catch the conversation by following @ReubensBrews on Instagram. Cheers!

Stand Up for Women's Land Rights in Tanzania

In honor of this week’s UN International Day of Rural Women you can stand up for Women’s Land Rights by empowering women in Tanzania to claim their equal rights to land. Join us by giving today!

Landesa in the news

	Letter to the editor: Helping women to buy land The Economist published a letter to the editor by Karol Boudreaux, Landesa Chief Program Officer, about progress on women’s land rights in Africa.
	Landesa launches Talking Book program to strengthen women’s land rights in Liberia Amplio profiles Landesa’s use of Talking Books, an inclusive digital audio device, to spread awareness in rural Liberia about the new land rights policies with a focus on youth and women’s land rights.
	Liberia’s Youth Are Central to National Development – And Land is Essential to their Success Front Page Africa published an op-ed by Emmanuel Urey, Landesa Liberia Program Director, about why land rights matter for youth and Africa’s greater development.
	Want to transform agriculture? Give youth access to land The Guardian Tanzania published an op-ed by Landesa Land Tenure Specialist Khadija Mrisho on the importance of youth land rights for Tanzania’s rural development.

Staff Spotlight: Daw Mar Mar Wai

Daw Mar Mar Wai is Landesa's Regional Program Manager based in Ayeyarwady, Myanmar. She has worked for Landesa since 2017.

"I am so proud of this golden opportunity to work with Landesa — working to strengthen land rights of people experiencing extreme poverty and developing gender-related laws and policies."