Community mapping is a grass roots community development initiative that strives to connect various actors in a particular area to issues affecting that area through a local inquiry. Community mapping is an exercise through which tacit knowledge as embedded in people’s spatial memory is converted into explicit and externally usable knowledge. It is an open ended, dynamic, and broadly inclusive way to bring community members, civil society, local governments and the central government together to better understand the places in which communities live, the social, economic and political issues affecting those places and the means by which those issues might be addressed.
Resultantly, this programme allows for improved information exchange between outsiders (i.e. Central government, NGOs, Researchers, Donors, e.t.c.) and the insiders (Community members) in the design and implementation of development projects. Mapping tenure relations not only provides spatial information but also socio-political relationships, such as gender dynamics, underlying these entangled links, and socio-institutional structures that govern natural resources.
Until recently, staff at the Land and Equity Movement in Uganda (LEMU), would start a community land protection process with conflict resolution. However, they found that focusing on contentious internal land disputes tended to exacerbate internal discord and even impede the community land protection process. This Lesson from the Field describes how LEMU went back to the drawing board to develop an innovative solution: collective visioning exercises to build unity and momentum for community collaboration.
A blog post that explains how maps of community land can be abused by unaccountable leaders or local elites if a community has weak local governance. It argues that supporting communities to ensure they have participatory, transparent, accountable governance is a prerequisite for responsible community mapping.
Kapsabet Community Based Paralegal organization (KAPLEGO) was formed in the year 2008 with 15 members to champion the fight against HIV/AIDS discrimination and stigma in the rural community of Nandi Central District. The organization is officially registered with the ministry of Social services registration number 7470/2009.
The organization apart from championing for the rights of the people living with HIV also engages in community sensitization on the prevention, care and support of people living with HIV.
The organisation ventured into sensitisation after it realise that for stigma and discrimination to be eradicated then it was vital to engage in community sensitization as the group realized that stigma and discrimination is associated with the fact that most members of the community were not aware of the issues surrounding HIV.
The organization believes that one on one interaction with the community leads to a higher understanding of HIV issues thus the core goal of the organization is taken care of and therefore the idea of venturing into community mobilization
KAPLEGO´s mandate to champion for the rights of PLHIV through community sensitization and mobilization. The group believes that knowledge is power and therefore the best tool to fight the scourge that is stigma and discrimination in our community then is via education and sensitization on ways of preventing HIV, and caring and supporting PLHIV.
Through dialogue and not mere threats on people who stigmatize and discriminate against PLHIV, the organization believes that it can achieve a lot as this will lead to more acceptance rather than fear which initially might lead to relief but later on lead to resentment of the people it is supposed to be championing for its rights.
N#ajaqna Conservancy and Community forest is the Community based organization that was established to the betterment of the San Community, to improve their living standard, and to give to the community their resources to manage and for them to maintain and run their resources on their own.
Golden Family Community Based Organization (GOFAO) is a new registered CBO with the mission to help in transformation and acceleration of social economic development of people. Its objectives are; empowering youths and communities on creation of sustainable income at household level,promote community health and social positive behaviors and climate smart agriculture.some of our activities are but not limited to:conduct trainings on bee keeping, livestock farming, irrigation,creation of corrupt free environment,organic farming,afforestation,proper land management, waste management at household and community level,sanitation at household and community level,population control and promote small scale businesses,mindset change,innovative ideas, group work,climate friendly technologies at household level and Support people in safe and secure shelter,people with HIV/AIDS and vulnerable people and people with psycho-social issue.
NAMATI prepared this curriculum in response to a request for more guidance on the role that paralegals can play in defending and asserting the rights of communities in land acquisition cases, beyond the crucial task of fact-finding.
There is a great need for paralegal involvement in land acquisition cases in Sierra Leone. Nearly one-fifth of Sierra Leone’s arable land is now covered by or under negotiation for large-scale lease agreements, aiming to extract deposits of iron ore, platinum, gold, diamonds, bauxite, and rutile and to utilize the fertile land to produce ethanol, rubber, oil palm, and other agricultural products. The Government of Sierra Leone points to the burgeoning minerals and agribusiness industries as holding the potential to lift Sierra Leone to a middle-income country, in addition to bringing jobs, health clinics, and schools.
On the one hand, Sierra Leone boasted an economic growth of 20.1% last year; On the other hand, its Human Development Index remains one of the lowest in the world. This disparity shows that the growth in the economy is not actually benefiting many of the communities most affected by the large-scale land acquisitions. In fact, in Namati’s experience, many of the communities whose land has been acquired or who live next to a large-scale land acquisition by a mining or agribusiness company suffer negative impacts.
To create more equitable land agreements that benefit holders of large-scale land licenses and communities in a “win-win” situation, paralegals can strive to preventatively meet with communities to inform them of their rights, work with the communities to decide the best option for them given a potential land lease, and work with communities already affected by a lease to advocate for better environmental policies or to renegotiate the contract.
Table of Contents:
Introduction 1
Overview of Sierra Leone Land Law and Policy 2
Advocating for Land Rights of Communities 4
As encroachment onto community lands increases in the Lango region of Uganda, communities are organizing to revitalize their traditional land governance systems. Central to these efforts is a process of recording and debating previously undocumented community land management rules. In this Lessons from the Field brief, Namati partner the Land and Equity Movement in Uganda (LEMU) shares insights into how staff facilitate and support the community-driven rules-writing process.
Certainly! Here’s a concise overview of the mission, vision, and objectives for **Cape Legal Community Advice Center**:
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**Mission:**
The mission of the Cape Legal Community Advice Center is to provide accessible legal assistance, education, and advocacy to empower individuals and communities in Cape Town. We strive to bridge the gap between legal complexities and everyday life, ensuring that everyone has the tools they need to protect their rights.
**Vision:**
Our vision is to create a just and equitable society where legal knowledge is accessible to all. We envision a community where women, children, and vulnerable populations can navigate legal challenges confidently, secure in the knowledge that their rights are upheld.
**Objectives:**
1. **Legal Empowerment:** To empower community members with essential legal knowledge through workshops, seminars, and outreach programs. We aim to demystify legal processes and provide practical guidance.
2. **Access to Justice:** To ensure that marginalized individuals have equal access to justice. We work tirelessly to remove barriers and provide legal assistance to those who cannot afford traditional legal representation.
3. **Advocacy:** To be vocal advocates for women’s rights, child welfare, and social justice. We collaborate with other organizations, policymakers, and community leaders to drive positive change.
4. **Networking and Collaboration:** To build a strong support network by connecting with like-minded individuals, legal professionals, and community organizations. Together, we amplify our impact and create lasting solutions.
Nguruka Community Organization is a Community Based Organization based in Nguruka, Uvinza district, Kigoma region. The CBO was founded in 2020 by the community members. The idea to start the CBO was prompted by the fact that a large of majority of community members in Nguruka ward live under extreme poverty, furthermore, HIV/AIDS now is a big problem in our community just because many peoples in the community they don’t have eonough education about HIV/AIDS,everyday peoples are get infected and the speed of infected peoples in Nguruka spread for speed,now its time to make some changes.
Nguruka Community Organization services are provided to community members without boundaries of religion, tribe and gender.