Protection of customary collective community land rights in Liberia

Project Overview

The project’s main objective is to recognize, formalize, and strengthen customary collective community land and natural resource tenure rights. Specifically it will:

1. Support communities as they implement the process for recognizing collective customary land rights under the LRA,

2. Develop and test with communities a common methodology and tools for participatory land and resource mapping.

3. Strengthen the capacity of the implementing partners, other civil society organizations, community animators, and practitioners to support communities as they secure their rights under the LRA.

4. Share lessons learned with civil society, donors, and stakeholders at local and national levels.

The partners aim to advance tenure security over 788,190 hectares for 24 communities, benefiting 100,000 people. They are developing a common methodology for participatory mapping, developing guidelines to help communities navigate the LRA process, and training a cadre of organizations and individuals to support communities across Liberia as they secure their rights. In addition to mapping, demarcating, documenting and registering their claims with the Liberia Land Authority, the 24 communities involved in the project are developing by-laws and/or constitutions for governing and managing their lands. They are also learning to resolve conflicts and to include women, youth, and other groups in decision-making and on land governance bodies. All these will help establish conditions for communities to lead their own sustainable development, protect the environment and contribute to reducing deforestation and mitigating climate change.