News on Land

BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera Peoples’ Alliance (CPA) will lead the tribal folk of the Cordillera Region in marking World Indigenous People’s Day on August 9, 2017 – with a vow to further assert their right to self-determination.

“Our common plight as indigenous peoples experiencing national oppression, discrimination, development aggression and human rights violations strengthens our resolve to unite with indigenous peoples and other oppressed sectors in the Philippines, as well as our brothers and sisters in other nations,” stated CPA Chairperson Windel Bolinget.

NAIROBI — In the months leading up to Tuesday’s general election in Kenya, civil society organizations have been laying the groundwork to prevent the kind of violence that has erupted during elections past.

Amid concerns that tensions between communities could spill over into violence if the election outcome is not perceived as legitimate, organizations have been working in recent months to mitigate localized conflicts over issues such as resources, borders and land rights.

Land is integral to securing shelter, agriculture for food security, mobilising investments and for the sustainable management of resources. With these issues in focus, Habitat for Humanity's Solid Ground Campaign, in association with the Urban CSO Cluster of the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) of UN-HABITAT, will be hosting a conference in Pretoria, 15-17 August.

Modern land registration systems are usually compulsory. Countries must be able to keep track of land, ownership and land use. This is important for planning, real estate sales and urbanization. When land is properly and legally registered, it should protect landowners.

The National Land Policy (NLP) will seek to ensure that a staggered, accessible and affordable process of compulsory registration is enforced after the ratification of the policy.

Mental Health Australia says governments need better response to ‘slow-burning, invisible kind of tragedy’

Governments are better at tackling natural disasters than longer-term problems in remote Indigenous communities, the head of Mental Health Australia has said.

After a technical break, the seven-member Land Inquiry 2017 Commission headed by Lady Justice Catherine Bamugemereire handled two big cases from July 24 –28.

Application Closing Date - 13 Aug 2017

Job Start Date - 01 Sep, 2017

Duration - 1st September 2017 to 17th December 2017

Location - remote, attend workshop in Berlin

BACKGROUND

“Us guys, we bust our butts. It’s dangerous work doing what we do, but I love it out here. There’s nothing like it.” So stated Tony Gale, a veteran logger from rural New York, in an interview with Huffington Post. The digital media company recently published a comprehensive piece on the intersection between suburban development and rural communities, and Gale is representative of many in America’s rural workforce who are challenged by the changing dynamics brought about by urban sprawl.

ROME, Aug 7 2017 (IPS) - Until a decade or so ago, experts and world organisations measured the impact of natural and man-made disasters in terms of human losses. For instance, they would inform about the number –and suffering—of human beings falling victims of extraordinary floods, droughts, heat or cold waves, and armed conflicts. This is not the case anymore.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A Cambodian court on Tuesday upheld a 2½-year prison term against a prominent land rights activist accused of inciting violence at a protest she helped lead outside of Prime Minister Hun Sen's residence, as dozens of her supporters outside conducted a "cursing ceremony" against national leaders and judges.