Country:

Lao PDR

Region:

Asia

Date:

March 1, 2017 - December 31, 2018

Implementor:

Village Focus International

Funding Amount:

$48,936

Details:

The National Land Law in Lao PDR (Laos) is currently undergoing revision, presenting a brief window of opportunity for Lao civil society and development partners to influence the revision process. The Land Information Working Group (LIWG) identified two periods for policy dialogue and advocacy: from February to June 2018 as the Land Law is being drafted, and from July to September 2018 when it will be under the scrutiny of the Lao National Assembly. The final law is due to be tabled in October 2018. Together with Village Focus International (VFI), members of the LIWG and the LIWG Secretariat are working to seize this political window of opportunity to engage in land-related policy dialogue and advocacy. The main aim of this proposed SRM is to form a Focal Group comprised of civil society organizations (CSOs) and development partners who have been working on responsible investment and community land rights in Laos, to develop a policy brief that can feed into the Land Law revision process.

With support from the SRM, civil society is engaging in land-related policy dialogue and advocacy while the National Land Law is undergoing review. This will be achieved through mobilizing members of various government departments and organizations such as the Ministry for Planning and Investment, the Ministry for Natural Resources and Environment, the Mekong Region Land Group, and the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), as part of the Land Sub Sector Working Group (LSSWG); reviewing relevant literature, policies, legal and regulatory frameworks, and initiatives; and producing and disseminating a summary of Turning Land into Capital (TLIC) reports’ key findings. Through this SRM, the LIWG seeks to guarantee the National Assembly is well informed about this topic when deciding on the Land Law in late 2018. The Focal Group ultimately aims to incorporate provisions into the land law that ensure respect for community land rights and sustainable land-based investment.

For reference:

Turning Land into Capital: Assessing a Decade of Policy in Practice