Community Empowerment Facility Profile

BACKGROUND

The country's poor economic performance since the mid 1970s, and the corresponding change in the economic and political situation, has necessitate a review of the national land policy. The country faces serious poverty levels, with the rural population being the most affected. In this high poverty and weak economic performance frame, the government and citizens have realized the socio-economic importance of land and how, through a proper and efficient land policy, this clear legal framework and efficient administration system, can be used to generate wealth. Hence, the challenge is to set out a policy promoting land as a pivotal factor of economic productivity and generation of wealth, aimed at reducing poverty levels, especially of the rural and peri-urben rural poor.

HIV/AIDS is also a serious socio-economic disease which affects 20% of the population. This situation has had a serious negative impact on the rights of women regarding access, ownership, inheritance and control over land, because upon the death of the husband, the land estates become the property of his male relatives, in accordance with the patriarchal land tenure practices.

A Land Act of 1995, did not provide a proper solution to the many imbalances existing on land issues. The interests of the marginalized social groups, such as women and the rural poor communities, were not taken into consideration. Rural communities' have been violated by outsider investment or settlement in the areas and the consequential limiting of access to traditional natural resources by fencing off land. Dispute mechanisms are very weak, highly centralized and also costly. Furthermore, existing land tribunals set up under the Act only cover a limited area and are not easily accessible by ordinary Zambian citizens, even when they are aware of such a trial mechanism. Moreover, the land administration system does not recognize any local land dispute resolution mechanism and, to boot, many poor Zambians lack information on the system itself.

As a land policy review is currently on the national agenda, ZLA (Zambia Land Alliance) intends to promote a joint partnership review process, to bridge the standpoints of Government and CSOs. An equitable and representative participation of all key stakeholders, especially the marginalized social groups or communities such as women, children and poor communities, will be ensured through a massive public awareness campaign targeted at rural communities, to publicize the draft land policy and its review process, with a view to soliciting opinions for inclusion in the final policy document.

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GOAL AND OBJECTIVES

In order to have a land policy paper that is effective, cost efficient, acceptable and able to protect the interests and concerns of the poor and marginalized communities, the project will aim to increase advocacy in land policy formulation through the broadest possible participation of key stakeholders and marginalized groups at all levels. This will be achieved with a bottom-up approach, emphasizing  community-level consultation workshops leading to district, regional and national workshops. As well as the workshops, there will be a massive media campaign targeting rural poor and peri-urban communities to solicit their involvement.  Moreover, a comprehensive information database will be set up in ZLA, for data collection and knowledge dissemination on land issues, even beyond the current review.

Specific objectives of the project are to:

• Raise community awareness on the government's/ civil society land policy review process and facilitate their participation through submissions to the Land Policy Review Technical Committee;
• Broaden the consultation process to reach marginalized communities and social groups (rural poor communities, women and children etc.)
• Collect and document views and recommendations on the draft land policy document.
• Advocate a more efficient and cost effective land policy administration system to the benefit of all citizens.

Considering the high incidence of HIV/AIDS in the country and its implications on land tenure and access, the land policy review process will integrate HIV/AIDS as a cross-cutting issue through broad public consultations relying on media, research, debates and programmes.

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WHO WILL BENEFIT?

Beneficiaries of the project vary according to the different level of workshop. Benefit will occur at the community level in some 32 communities, to traditional leaders and authorities, marginalized social groups, such as women, rural poor, disabled and youths. At district level, provincial and regional government departments, private investors and other key stakeholders (churches, NGOs, farm groups, trade unions) will benefit from the land literacy campaign. Some 16 district workshops are scheduled.

The methodology chosen for implementing the project mainly involves multi-level workshops. Two community workshops have been planned to take place in each district, and two districts from each province, totaling 32 community level workshops, and 16 district level consultative workshops. A documentary video will be produced and released, publicizing the achievements of the workshops.  The ZLA Secretariat, being the leading organization for implementing the project, will be responsible for its overall management.

The Civil Society Land Policy Review Committee, through its various representatives is responsible, through its various representatives, for planning and implementing the project. The Civil Society representatives are involved in the project implementation as facilitators and are responsible for conducting Community and District land policy consultations in conjunction with government facilitators from the government's Land Policy Review Technical Committee. The Government's Technical Committee is participating in the planning and consultation process through the Ministry of Land, who is responsible for reviewing and formulating the Land Policy.

The Government's Technical Committee members and the Civil Society Land Policy Committee will join hands to form one land policy review team, divided into two groups of about 8-10 facilitators per group making a total number of about 20 facilitators. This joint team of government and civil society representatives will also collaborate in drafting a final land policy document for Cabinet approval.

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CONCLUSION

The project also receives support from the local Ministry of Land and other cooperating partners, such as OXFAM, GTZ, Embassy of Finland, etc. Due to its bottom-up approach, the project will create creating spaces for dialogue among diverse stakeholders, leading to a joint final draft document. In this context, ZLA plays an important bridging role between the participants. Moreover, the creation of a database on community experiences, policy measures and guidelines and land disputes, will provide sustainability and continuity. ZLA will be responsible for both collecting data as well as maintaining the database. In this context, it is clear that this information can be the basis for an effective advocacy policy.

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