Abstract
Access to land is defined by different land tenure systems in any given jurisdiction or social setting. The institution of land tenure plays a fundamental role in defining the manner in which individuals or groups of individuals secure access to land and most importantly determines the manner and/or type of use to which land is put. This way land users on the basis of rights addressed under the different tenure systems and with varying degrees of tenure security (temporal and permanent) use land resources (mineral resources, water, soils, pastures, trees, etc.) sustainably or abusively. This broadly influences poverty eradication programs and planning approaches for both rural and urban development processes as well as natural resources management. Today, the global scale challenge is ensuring equitable access to land to provide a lasting solution to the increasing gap between the rich and poor, and, the powerful and powerless (protecting the rights of the poor and vulnerable groups). Land is home to a mass of live including mankind but has often served as a controversial resource over which conflicts have arisen and where peace has been appraised in different regions. All in the name of ensuring the survival of human life or increasing individual status the rights of several people have often been denied either by the inadequate national policies, or a general consequence of weak governence in land, the situation that offers an advantage to the minority elites at the expense of the poor and vulnerable majority. The key challenge is nevertheless to realize the importance of addressing land management challenges to; Uplift the face of informal urban settlements; Address threats of climate change and; uphold and promote human rights record. Thinking to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and realise the principles of sustainable development based on local, regional and international conventions and declarations requires major policy reviews and utmost committed practical efforts that strive past the common rhetoric. No body holds an absolute solution but the generally established princples and better practices can serve to guide the possible reliable alternatives for informed actions.
By Rukundo Bruce
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