CIDSE Laos- International Cooperation for Development and Solidarity

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1 CIDSE Laos- International Cooperation for Development and Solidarity Saphangmor village, Saysettha district, Unit 16, PO. Box 2795, Vientiane Capital, Lao.P.D.R, Tel & Fax: (856-21) Country Representative: Mrs. Khankham Douangsila October 2014

2 Background Started to work in Laos : Integrated RuraL Development. Whole country : Participatory Land Use Planning (Communal Land Title) and Law Dissemination on Natural Resource Management. Key partners: Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment, Ministry of Justice &Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

3 We work in Central of Laos,Khammouane Province, 2 districts, 37 target villages

4 FASTENOPFER Switzerland CIDSE-Laos Donors Austria OXFAM Novib Netherland

5 Our Vision CIDSE-Laos aspires to see Laos as a happy, healthy and ecologically balanced society where there is peace based on transparency and justice, and where different cultures are valued and people benefit from their participation in a society that is equitable to all regardless of gender, class, ethnicity or religion.

6 Our Mission CIDSE Laos aims to: Use strong local, regional and international networks to raise the awareness of natural resource use in village livelihoods in order to strengthen policy, and, To empower rural communities to sustainable manage their own future. SLOGAN: Preserve Land, Preserve Life

7 Our Goal ORGANIZATIONAL GOAL: "To ensure that village land use is conducted in a participatory and transparent manner that protects villagers' livelihood systems and rights under the law"

8 CROSSCUTTING THEMES Whilst working towards its objectives, CIDSE-Laos recognizes two underlying themes that it wants to make explicit in all the activities it supports. These crosscutting themes are: Men and women have equal rights in accessing the resources and essential services required to satisfy basic needs. They also have equal rights in making decisions regarding the equitable distribution of those resources and services to the whole community. Sustainable development can only be achieved when people are aware of the value of learning from Indigenous Knowledge (IK) to benefit the local community and when people share Indigenous Knowledge ( with respect for people s property rights to indigenous knowledge) to other communities.

9 Why are we working in Laos? International, regional, and national trends & changes Laos is one of the poorest country and more than half of the population are poor Lao Government development strategy by the year 2020, the living standard of people s expected to improve and eradicate poverty reduction within the entire country territory by the year The government development objective is to increase the GDP by 7.5 %, and also for the living cost U$ 1200 per household per annum. Under this strategy, the rural development is obviously important because the large majority of the people lives in the rural areas and depends on agriculture and the use of the natural resources to sustain their livelihood.

10 Context Assessment We have 5 distinct groupings identifying multiple causes for Problematic land concessions. These are: Policy: Government policy promoting land concessions / industrial agriculture over subsistence livelihoods was leading to rapid increase in concessions that were largely imposed on villagers in a top down manner; Implementation & Monitoring: The Lao government's ability to effectively monitor concessions is extremely limited, both in terms of capacity and financial restraints. This has led to a situation where even when concessionaires break the law regarding concessions, the government remains both unaware of breaches, and is unable to ensure compliance with concession regulations. Shortage of information: Participants noted that there was also a shortage of information on both the impacts that land concessions have upon rural livelihoods, and also at the local level on the rights of village communities in defence of their natural resources.

11 Weak Laws: Particularly in terms of tenure security, the participants identified weak laws as a contributing factor to problematic land concessions. Under the present law, villagers did not have secure tenure over their traditional natural resource base, and this allowed companies to legally exploit villagers forest lands with scant regard for the impact on village livelihoods. Political and Cultural Factors: The authoritarian one party system of government in Laos was also identified as a contributing factor to problematic concessions development for a number of reasons. While the workshop recognised the impossibility of trying to change the political system perse, it was recognised that many villagers were not willing to voice criticism of concessions development on their lands, or to stand up to protect their natural resource base due in part to the top down system of government that has historically been in operation in Laos.

12 Service Supply Assessment There are not many International Development organizations that are providing the same services to the same target sector that we are serving now. At present we have about 16 INGOs are members of the Land Issue working Group in Laos. Since this issue is still sensitive and newly emerged in There is no competition among these INGOs. We are trying to have strong network and learn from each others. Land issues in Laos are currently going through a flux due to changes in the world economy. (LIWG) is one of several sub-working groups which compose the overall Lao INGO Forum. The forum allows INGO to share experiences and act together when engaging the government.

13 Project Name: Rural Community Land Project Phase 2. Project goal : Goal: Communities have enhanced justice and strengthened tenure over the land and natural resources which the people in the target villages quality of life depends on.

14 Objective 1: Communities have enhanced management of land and natural resources and an enhanced legal basis for tenure over these such as; community participation in governance and consultation on land and natural resource related issues is enhanced. Strategy 1: For our target communities, with a particular focus on women, we shall; enhance community awareness on natural resource related laws, issues community rights, and resolution channels; Build community capacity on Natural Resource management and formalize tenure. Facilitate and develop community group capacity to organize and coordinate participation.

15 Law Dissemination activities

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17 Participation Land Use Planning (Communal Land Title)

18 Strategy 2: VIG on agriculture, primarily consisting of rural women, are provided with enhanced capacity and interest to understand land issues and legal solution and capacity building on income generation from agricultural and\or non-timber forest products.

19 Objective 2: District and Provincial Government and CIDSE in Lao.PDR support for community participation in governance on land and natural resource related issues is enhanced; and have enhanced capacity to establish legal bases for community tenure over these. Strategy 1: Raise Government staff and CIDSE in Lao.PDR staff awareness on natural resource related laws, community rights, and natural resources issues and case studies. Build capacity on supporting Participatory Land Use Planning, Communal Land Titling and community natural resource management.

20 Objective 3: Central and other levels of Government, as well development stakeholders throughout Laos and regionally, have policy and practice on land and natural resources that enhance justice and strengthen tenure for communities. Strategy 1: CIDSE in Lao.PDR will work with other networks, which are interested in natural resource issues and land tenure. Exchange lesson for lao people and working together, as well as at national, regional and international level will be coordination and cooperation with relevant agencies.

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22 Our networking Lao Country group MIC-MAC Code Vietnam LIWG DPA CIDSE LAOS CEED TERRA GDG MIC_MAC INGOs in LAO.P.D.R World Rain Forest Movement Indonesia

23 Thank you for your attention