The important role of using data to monitor the progress of securing land rights in Asia, particularly in
accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets and indicators, was reiterated at the opening day of the 2021 Asia Land Forum: Securing Land Rights and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Members of the International Land Coalition (ILC) in Asia agreed that secure land rights are central to eradicating poverty and hunger (Goal 1), advancing women equal rights to economic resources, including land (Goal 5), building a world of justice where human rights are protected (Goal 16), protecting the environment and fighting climate change (Goal 13), and restoring degraded land and soils (Goal 15).
“There can be no justice without land reform and land rights. And there can be no equality without access to land,” said Gam Shimray, Secretary-General of Asia Indigenous Peoples’ Pact (AIPP), the co-organiser of the event and a member of ILC.
“In the next two days, we will also discuss the important role that indigenous peoples, local communities, youth and women play in protecting our planet with their traditional knowledge. The recommendations and solutions discussed here will be delivered to governments and policymakers across the region,” said Mirgul Amanalieva, ILC Asia Regional Coordinator.
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The ILC Asia is a membership-driven network of 51 national and regional civil society organisations working on land issues in 12 countries. It organises the Asia Land Forum (ALF) on an annual basis.
It brings together members of ILC and other stakeholders to learn the latest state of land governance in the region, share experiences, and explore areas of collaboration.
This year, the event aims to explore the challenges and opportunities to acknowledge the centrality of land rights in the 2030 Agenda and particularly in assessing the progress of achieving the SDG land targets at the country level. This year, the event is organised virtually from 27 to 29 October, and it brought forth the centrality of land rights in the 2030 Agenda because, participants agreed that without land, we could not eradicate poverty, achieve gender equality, and restore our planet, among others.
The event will continue until this Fridayand will focus on the strategies, key lessons, and factors that have influenced policy development and implementation of people-centred land governance. Discussions will also tap into issues intersecting with land rights and sustainable development, such as community-led ecosystem restoration efforts, and the role of women and youth as change-makers, among others.
ILC Asia assists its members with building strategic and transformative programmes, taking a bottom-up approach in advocating land issues to governments in the region. It connectsits members with other movements in the region, mobilise its strength and niche as a network, and influence policymakers to protect vulnerable and minority groups’ right to land.