58
Peoples' Organisations Engaged
522
Land defenders defended in 2023
223,462
People with land rights secured in 2023
Shrinking civic space is threatening democracy
Only 3.1% of the world lives in countries where they are able to exercise their fundamental right to speak out, organise and protest -- according to Civicus.
How land is controlled, owned, and distributed is no small part of democratic decline. Control and ownership of land have always been at the core of elite power structures. Contention over the control of land has historically, and still today, leads to corruption, dispossession, oppression, and – when the powerful aren’t held accountable – escalating conflicts.
And while civic spaces are shrinking, hostilities are also escalating, in particular towards Indigenous, land and environmental defenders who face increasing marginalisation, persecution and attacks for trying to exercise their freedoms.
As in the past, in today’s world, being an activist or defender is not only dangerous but can be fatal.
In 2023, our data indicates that more than 1,500 land rights defenders suffered non-lethal attacks in two countries alone, giving urgency to our collective work for people-centred land governance.
To counteract this, it’s not enough to simply ensure everyone has a seat at the table, but that the women, men and communities who live on and from the land are empowered enough to use their voice for influence.
Recognising the land rights of local communities in their own landscapes - especially Indigenous Peoples over their territories - brings decision-making down to the community level. It gives local people the power to decide their own futures on their own land. It is an essential step in building democracy from the ground up.
ILC creates and holds spaces for accountable, democratic processes by working towards a powershift, ensuring the people who live on and from the land lead at all levels of our governance and work. In more than 30 countries, inclusive and participatory multi-stakeholder platforms push for the policies and practices they need at both local and national levels.
