Land rights and tenure security to fight climate change in South Asia

An effective mechanism to tackle the ongoing climate change disaster requires an inclusive approach which involves women, local communities and indigenous peoples. That is the highlight of the Regional Environmental Policy Dialogue in Kathmandu, Nepal in early April this year.

The event was organised by the National Land Coalition in Nepal, in collaboration with ILC Asia, the Nepal Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation (MoLMCPA), and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). The policy dialogue focused on the impact of climate change on land rights and tenure security of women and indigenous people in South Asian countries including Nepal, India and Bangladesh. The dialogue served as a platform for diverse perspectives, networking and generating recommendation.

The event discussed the challenges faced by women and indigenous peoples, such as discrimination and vulnerability to climate-induced natural disasters. Dr Radha Wagle from the Nepal Ministry of Forests and Environment mentioned that “Indigenous Peoples depend on natural resources while at the same time they are more vulnerable to climate change as they have limited access to land rights”.

Gender inequality in land ownership is a barrier in achieving sustainable development in South Asia. “Women in South Asia are food producers, yet gender inequality still persists in their access to land and natural resources, and countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and India share the same context in the face of the climate crisis,” said Gopal Magar, from the Community Self Reliance Centre (CSRC) Nepal.

However, women owning land results in their valuable contributions to addressing climate change. In South Asia, the right to land and tenure security are the prerequisites and precious resources for women, indigenous peoples and local communities which will help them to achieve their human rights, namely the right to food, and make them less vulnerable to the climate crisis.

Additionally, structural patriarchy have been acknowledged as barriers to the realization and fulfillment of women's land rights. The findings from ILC Landex show that to end hunger in Nepal, we must prioritize the needs of family farmers and make sure that government-sponsored assistance programs are directed toward them.

Key recommendations moving forward

The recommendations put forward highlight the importance of strengthening access to and ownership of land and natural resources for marginalized communities. There is a pressing need to improve coordination and implementation of policies and rules. To guarantee successful collaboration, genuine partnerships between funders, academia, community-based organizations, and the government must be created. Incorporating diverse perspectives is crucial to successfully address issues related to climate change.

To gain a deeper understanding of the gendered implications of environmental and economic changes on land ownership rights, evidence-based research is necessary. Information-sharing and capacity-building should be provided to a range of stakeholders, including women, men, village and community leaders, local bureaucracy, and policymakers. There is also a need to promote diversification of livelihood options, increased food security, and nutrition for indigenous peoples, women farmers, and rural women.