News

Investments in agriculture and forestry can benefit both, investors and communities, if governed responsibly and in acknowledgement of tenure rights. This includes ensuring that local communities and labourers know how to make use of their rights attributed to them by law in case of disputes and legal issues related to an investment.

Building on previous awareness raising activities at village level on responsible agriculture and forestry investment, the “Promoting Responsible Governance of Investments in Land” (RGIL) project has initiated a new activity with government counterparts and the Civil Society Organisation Village Focus International that works on Community Legal Empowerment (CLE) in 15 districts in the project’s target provinces Bolikhamxay, Sayaboury, Luang Prabang and Vientiane province.

The main focus lies on strengthening the capacity of the government officials and village authorities on the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent, grievance redress mechanisms and access to the justice system in Lao PDR as well as legal aid and conflict resolution.

The planned trainings on Community Legal Empowerment will convene and train representatives of the Provincial & District Cabinet Office, Provincial Departments and District Offices of the sectors of Planning and Investment, Industry and Commerce, Natural Resources and Environment and Agriculture and Forestry as well as from the Labour Office, Justice Office and the Lao Women’s Union. Ultimately, trainings will also be provided at village level for the Village Mediation Unit to strengthen their role in supporting their communities, especially women and other minorities, in case of negative impacts of an investment project.

In case of questions on the RGIL project please contact the Head of project RGIL Laos – Eva Prediger: eva.prediger@giz.de.