"Building Nepalese LAND Alliance - NELA"

Local Organization : Mobilization and Development - MODE

Region: Nepal - Asia

Content: MODE took action to establish a forum for sustainable national development and improved secure access of rural poor to land and other productive assets. The alliance is to advocate for land partnership in collaboration with CSOs, CBOs, bilateral and international actors and the country itself.

Results: Some of the main topics identified during the process of LAND Alliance establishment are:

Haliya System in Nepal: A traditional system established between the landlords and the landless, or near landless, farmers. Options approved were: recognize the labour of the haliya; recognize their rights as having worked the land for their survival

Freed Bonded Labours (Kamaiya): There are issues concerning the bonded labourers who were freed under declaration of the government in 2000. Some solutions were sought for the development in kamaiya area, such as rehabilitation of women kamaiyas as per the Bonded Labour Act; grant each kamaiya at least 0.17 ha for cultivation; make provision of temporary settlements until land is forthcoming; provide the membership of the forest community to kamaiya families; ensure skill-based training for income-generating activities.

Tenant Problems and dual Land Ownership : Discussions took place on the possible provision of citizenship certificates based on validation by tenants; the formation of village grassroots institutions; retention of the tenants' provision; provision of tenancy also for daughters; adoption of gender equality in all activities; establishment of a period of tenancy as provided for under the Act.

Dalit Liberation: The dalit population exceeds over 5 million but they are deprived of education, access to development and, more importantly, they are disgraced because they are of an untouchable caste. Basic solutions approved were to: prioritize land to dalits to ensure their survival; provide certificate of citizenship; provide citizenship certificate in the name of the mother in Badi society; ensure loans without collateral; intensify education and knowledge transfer; provide skill-based training to dalit youths.

Land Rights of Aborigines and Tribal communities : The forum extended the following options: Conserve women's activities of the aborigines and tribal communities; advocate for education and transfer of knowledge; encourage belief in their development and their unity.

Lessons learned : The good level of understanding among NGOs/CBOs and CSOs working on land issues has resulted in joining on common issues. This represents a new step for Nepal . Relevant and useful information has been brought to light regarding land issues from discussions at forums, publications and other media. MODE Nepal believes that the need to sustain policies and programmes for improving access to land by the poor through institutional, public and government-led programmes supported by peoples' organizations is becoming recognized with initiation of land alliance in Nepal . Efforts had already been made to form alliances but what was required was awareness and common consensus.