ForumCiv Liberia Our Land

The year 2024 marks the third year of implementing the Our Land Programme. This initiative was developed based on lessons learned and successes from a previous intervention the Sustainable Ownership Programmewhich concluded in 2021 and was similarly funded by the Embassy of Sweden. Outcome 1 ForumCivs office in Liberia and its partners have refined their strategies and methods to enhance women's and youth's participation in land governance and management decision making Our Land Program collaborates with 70 existing communitybased structures and 42 additional groups formed by our partners to enhance local ownership. These groups receive support from our partners to raise awareness of the Land Rights Act, assist with conflict resolution, educate about the Referral Pathway for Sexual and GenderBased Violence, and advocate for democratic governance and sustainable natural resource management. In 2024, ForumCiv partners and communitybased organizations resolved 21 land dispute cases and facilitated land ownership for 19 women and youth. The narrative report highlighted the notable achievements of 2024. The Wolamai Women Group in Samay Town, Jorquelleh District, Bong County, with support from Menleleh Inc., resolved two land rights disputes. In one instance, they assisted Gormah Gbaindeh in reclaiming ownership of her late father's land, which her uncle had unjustly claimed. They also tackled a longstanding boundary dispute involving a group member. The Kukatornon Village Saving Women Group in Zebay Town, Kpaai District, which Menleleh Inc. also supports, facilitated mediation that enabled Etta Kollie, a resident of Zebay Town, to have her name added to the land deed for the property she and her husband purchased in 2019. Ettas decision to request her name on the deed followed her attendance at the women's group's land rights awareness session. Betty Kantu from Toe City in Grand Gedeh recently had her rights restored to a parcel of land she copurchased with her exhusband after a lengthy sevenyear struggle. The District Land Advocacy Group (DLAG) facilitated the mediation of this land dispute, with support from our partner, the Efficient Research Development Institute (ERDI). The land was divided during mediation, and both parties signed an agreement with the District Commissioner. In 2024, ForumCiv hosted Knowledge Exchange Sessions, attracting over two hundred government, academia, and civil society attendees. Participants discussed the progress and challenges of implementing the 2018 Land Rights Act and the 2018 Local Government Act. Ruth Boakai, a 10th grade student from Bomi County, utilized her knowledge from the event to advocate for an update to her family's land deed, which previously listed only her father's name. After two meetings, Ruths father granted her request. Outcome 2 Women, Youth, communities, and CSOs in Bomi, duty bearers, academia, and private sector actors in Bomi, Bong, and Grand Gedeh counties have increased awareness and capacities to support women and youth in effectively participating in Land administration and governance. Throughout the year, ForumCiv collaborated with the Forestry Training Institute to complete training for women in Geomatics to improve their knowledge and skills in various land management tools and techniques. The final eight trainees, selected from Bomi and Bong Counties, finished the fourmonth hybrid training program. Bendu S. Johnson, a participant from Bomi County in the training program, shared that the knowledge and skills she gained from the exercises have enabled her to volunteer with the office of the resident land surveyor to survey land owned by women. ForumCiv has met with the local offices of the LLA to create opportunities for the women trained in Geomatics to gain practical experience alongside the LLAs surveyors. The graduates of the training will assist in surveying land acquired by women. ForumCiv contributed to reviewing the draft National Alternative Dispute Resolution Act through internal reviews and facilitated dialogue between rural women and a consultant hired by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). ForumCiv advocated for the inclusion of women and people with disabilities in all structures that would oversee and enforce the implementation of the Act. We also requested that the Act recognize the Community Land Development and Management Committee (CLDMC) and Community Forest Management Organizations. Enacting an Act on Alternative Dispute Resolution could enhance access to justice however, given resource constraints, establishing a new body to oversee its implementation would not be ideal. To prevent a recurrence of the challenges faced during the implementation of the 2018 Land Rights Act, ForumCiv is working closely wih key partners for the authority of the new Act to be integrated within existing government functions, such as those of the Ministries of Justice, Local Government, and the Liberia Land Authority, among others. ForumCiv collaborated with Rational Integration for Sustainable Empowerment (RISE) to organize Liberias first Miss Culture Competition under the theme "Celebrating Heritage, Empowering Women: Bridging Cultures for Land Rights." The event highlighted Liberia's cultural diversity and promoted women's rights to land ownership. Contestants were trained on the 2018 Land Rights Act to raise awareness in Bong, Grand Bassa, and Montserrado Counties. Outcome 3 Women, youth, communities, and civil society in Bomi, Bong, and Grand Gedeh counties have developed strategies to effectively participate in land governance and management, thereby fostering their access, ownership, and control over land for sustainable use. A training manual on Youth Land Rights, developed by our partners at the Youth Positive Transformation Initiative (YOPTI), has increased young people's participation in local governance and enhanced their ability to advocate for land tenure rights. As a result of the knowledge gained through the manual, five young individualstwo females and three malessuccessfully advocated with local families and acquired approximately 35 acres of land. YOPTI is facilitating legal representation for Linda Mulbah of Balama, Suakoko District, Bong County, whose land is claimed by a wealthy individual. The dispute is at the 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga, Bong County. Based on Linda Mulbah's request, a writ of prohibition was issued to the accused, preventing him from undertaking any activity on the contested land. The final hearing is expected in early 2025, followed by a verdict. ForumCiv co-hosted the second national land conference and allotted a day for rural women's Land Rights. This event showcased Liberia's advancements in implementing the 2018 Land Rights Act (LRA) while addressing the structural challenges rural women, youth, and people with disabilities (PwDs) face in accessing and utilizing land. Collaborations with other stakeholders enhanced efficiency and mobilized allies to tackle land tenure issues and insecurity. In May 2024, Community Solution Aid (CSAID) collaborated with the Sanoyea Youth Association and the Sanoyea Peace Hub to tackle rising crime, drug use, and human rights violations in Sanoyea Town, Bong County. As a result, the district commissioner and Liberia National Police deployed three new officers and enhanced the Community Watch Forum (CWF) to strengthen law enforcement support. One key takeaway from the Knowledge Exchange Sessions organized by ForumCiv was the strong desire expressed by rural women to share their stories and actively engage with their duty bearers. They emphasized that providing direct funding for their initiatives could lead to significant and immediate changes. With this support, they could reach out to lawmakers in their constituencies at the national level to advocate for change. They believe that such engagement would prompt immediate responses to their challenges, as their elected representatives are motivated by the votes they receive. ForumCiv organized a meeting between rural women and lawmakers from Bong County. The women submitted a petition seeking support for promoting women's land utilization. The lawmakers agreed to schedule a followup meeting, but a leadership crisis at the House of Representatives postponed it. Outcome 4 Dialogue and partnerships between civil society, duty bearers, academia, and the private sector increase women's and youth's effective participation in sustainable land governance and management. With the authorization of the Embassy of Sweden in Monrovia, ForumCiv co-funded activities under a 36-month EU-funded project titled Securing Land Rights for Women and Customary Communities in SouthEast Liberia. This initiative was implemented in Grand Gedeh, River Gee, and Sinoe Counties by a consortium led by ActionAid Liberia, including ForumCiv and the Development Education Network Liberia (DENL). The Our Land Program included activities like the Rural Women Land Rights Conference and the Rights Way Forward followup. ForumCiv also provided funding for a policy dialogue to discuss the findings and recommendations outlined in a policy brief. Representatives from SIDA and the EU were present at this event. During the period under review, ForumCiv also met with Entrepreneurs Du Monde, a French organization that offers lowinterest, collateralfree loans to women and youth. The meeting led to mutual interest in collaboration between the two groups, as they had been seeking opportunities to enhance land ownership for women and the communities they support. The organization is also considering extending loans to women who have secured land ownership through our intervention. They currently operate in Bong and Lofa Counties. ForumCiv and FIND are reviewing complaints from residents of Nahzon Section (clan) in Kokoyah District, Bong County, wrote to the Liberia Land Authority to seek clarification on the delays in resolving a boundary dispute that impeded their customary land's formalization and have met with the LLA in December to discuss ways to expedite the process though LLA has not been forthcoming despite having relevant documents to address the dispute. The LLA has agreed to intervene in March. The residents of the clan have also played a significant role in formalizing their customary land by covering the costs of local meetings. Residents of the Niao Clan in the Cavalla district of Grand Gedeh County have taken the lead in resolving land disputes. Out of twelve contested boundary points, a committee formed by the clan has successfully addressed all of them. This seventyfivemember committee was established after a visit to the area by ForumCiv, during which they highlighted the importance of residents taking ownership of the process. The initiative awaits the transfer of funds to our partner, Action for Community Transformation (ACT), which manages the process alongside subsequent verification and surveying by the LLA.

Objective Women and youth from rural communities in Bomi, Bong and Grand Gedeh counties effectively participate in land governance and management, and access ownership and control of their land for sustainable development and resilience to climate change. Outcome 1. ForumCivs office in Liberia and its partners have improved their strategies and methods to increase the participation of woman and youth in decision making processes in lands governance and management. Outcome 2. Women, youth, communities, and civil society in Bomi, Bong and Grand Gedeh counties and duty bearers, academia and private sector increase their awareness and capacity so women and youth can effectively participate in land governance and management. Outcome 3. Women, youth, communities, and civil society in Bomi, Bong and Grand Gedeh counties have developed their own strategies to effectively participate in land governance and management and foster their access, ownership and control for a sustainable use of their land. Outcome 4. Dialogue and partnerships between civil society, duty bearers, academia and the private sector increase the level