WSSD Events 3-8

Event 3 Week of the Landless: 27-31 August 2002

The Coalition together with Ford Foundation supported both a seminar and the activities of the Landless People’s Movement and NLC during this event, which included a second International Landless People’s Assembly, learning and cultural events, and a march to celebrate International Day of Solidarity. Coalition partners participated in many activities and events during the course of the week and in the march.

Event 4 Two-day Seminar on African Perspectives: Land and Sustainable Development - 26-27 August 2002

This two-day seminar was organized by NLC and the African Institute for Agrarian Studies (AIAS) and attended by Coalition partners from various regions of the world. A report on the event may be obtained from NLC or AIAS.

Event5 Joint IFAD/Global Mechanism/International Land Coalition Presentation on Partnership Initiatives: 30 August 2002

The aim of the presentation was to announce new partnership initiatives. The Coalition was an initial sponsor of IFAD’s partnership with the Southern African Natural Products Trade Association (an NGO that trades in natural products from land-degraded areas) inasmuch as it recognizes that fostering markets for particular products leads to secure use of and investments in land. During the course of the event, the Global Mechanism announced its partnership with the Southern African Development Community, NGOs and legislators; and the Coalition made an announcement with regard to LAND Partnerships.

Event 6 Joint IFAD/Indigenous Caucus/International Land Coalition Event on Indigenous Peoples: Affirming Diversity for Sustainable Development - 28 August 2002

This event was organized for the purpose of presenting IFAD’s report on its experience with indigenous peoples in Latin America and Asia — Indigenous Peoples: Valuing Diversity in Sustainable Development. The importance of Coalition members collaborating on the issues of indigenous lands, territories and ancestral domains was emphasized during the course of the event, which was attended by about 130 representatives of governments, multilateral institutions and indigenous people’s organizations. The President of IFAD opened the proceedings, and keynote speakers included Mr. Richelle, Director-General of the European Commission; representatives of the National Koi-San Consultative Conference and Tebtebba Foundation; the Director, Centre for International Forestry Research; Mr. Phrang Roy of IFAD; and Bruce Moore, Coordinator of the International Land Coalition . Further details on the event are available upon request from IFAD’s External Affairs Department.

Event 7 One-day Seminar on Governance and Property Rights; World Bank’s Land Policy Review Paper; and Accessing Land: 30 August 2002

Together with USAID and World Bank, the Coalition sponsored a one-day seminar to discuss different strategies and experiences relating to land reform. Bruce Moore co-chaired the session on country experience with partners from Indonesia (KPA) and Brazil (the National Confederation of Agricultural Workers - CONTAG). Information was also provided on World Bank’s experience in South Africa. Further details of this event are available from USAID.

Event 8 Workshop on Access to Land: 29 August 2002

The four organizers of the workshop were the International Land Coalition , Energia, Women in Europe for a Common Future, and the Gender and Water Alliance. In collaboration with WEDO, the Coalition helped to coordinate activities on the theme ‘Access to and Control of Resources: Energy, Water and Land’. Panellists included Mary Ssonko of Uganda Land Alliance/OXFAM, who spoke about women’s inheritance rights in Uganda. Sappho Haralambous, Coordinator of the Fund’s NGO and Civil-Society Networks described IFAD’s experience with projects concerned with gender and access to land. Representatives of the Huairou Commission and the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights made presentations on their work with women and housing initiatives. Copies of papers presented at the workshop can be obtained from the International Land Coalition secretariat.

Juxtaposing the Outcomes of WSSD and the Global People's Forum

What does the outcome of the WSSD and the Global People's Forum tell the Coalition? In referring to the paragraphs set out in Annex 4, it is to be noted that the first priority outcome of the GPF is LAND. An excerpt from the relevant paragraph on land in GPF document A Sustainable World Is Possible, Outcomes of the Global Peoples Forum at the WSSD is provided in Annex 5.