Her Land Publication Launched at the UNCCD COP16

Land Equity International congratulates all those involved in the landmark Her Land publication, spearheaded by UNCCD to support the #HerLand campaign. #HerLand promotes inspiring examples of women and girls’ leadership in sustainable land management, mobilizing support to secure land rights for women and girls across the world. The #HerLand publication features more than 40 authors and their related institutions, and their work in active efforts to ensure land rights for women and girls across the world.  

Land Equity International was invited to contribute to the publication and interviewed Dr. Sochanny Hak (Dr Channy) and Dr Hue Le in an article titled ‘Giving voice to smallholder women farmers in the Mekong Region’ (pp 50-53).  This article discusses the Mekong Region Land Governance (MRLG) project which over the past decade has had a key focus on securing land tenure for small-holder farmers. Designed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), co-financed by Germany and Luxemburg, implemented by Land Equity International and GRET, and shaped by political economy thinking, the project has intentionally committed to over a decade of momentum building activities. 

“It is vitally important that women participate in the land and policy formulation process. This is a legal obligation – according to the Cambodian constitution, women and men have equal rights to participate in the political, economic and cultural life of the nation.” 

Dr Channy, Senior Researcher at the Analyzing Development Issues Center, Phnom Penh 

LEI’s article in Her Land describes just some of the work of MRLG in promoting the importance of gender-equitable land governance in achieving justice for people and nature in the Mekong Region. It references two key reports highly recommended for further reading –  

• The Outlook on Gender and Land in the Mekong Region 

• Thematic Study: Towards gender-equitable land policy and lawmaking in the Mekong Region 

Dr. Sochanny Hak sharing her wisdom during an MRLG Regional Workshop

Amongst other findings, these reveal key challenges in the region, such as: 

• The lack of empowerment and capacity building for women to meaningfully engage in land decision-making; 

• The inadequate participation of women in community decision-making processes;  

• The limited support for gender champions; and 

• Inequities within legal frameworks.  

 
LEI would like to thank Dr Channy and Dr Hue for their contributions to this article and encourage readers to check out the HerLand publication for inspiring stories surrounding women and girls’ front line role in global restoration efforts. LEI would also like to thank its partners in the MRLG project for their ongoing dedication to securing land tenure for small-holder farmers in the Mekong region.  

Spearheaded by the UNCCD and partners, the HerLand publication represents important support for women-led initiatives in land restoration and drought resilience and calls for stronger female leadership and decision-making power on issues that affect them in the context of desertification, land degradation and drought. The book was launched in print and digital editions at the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) in Riyadh, KSA.  

If you’re looking for inspirational stories of groups working to bolster the involvement of women and girls in land governance systems, you can read the full publication here