ILC: 2012 Asia Land Forum Addresses Barriers to Land Governance

Phnom Penh, Cambodia - From October 2-3, 2012, 100 participants from 12 countries convened at the Imperial Garden Villa and Hotel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia to discuss and build collective action on responsible land governance. With the theme "Democratizing Governance on Land towards Enhanced Access of the Poor to Land and Common Property Resources", the forum addressed issues ranging from land use planning and land acquisitions to defending the rights of indigenous peoples, women and other marginalized groups.

The forum was organized by STAR Kampuchea (Cambodia), the Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC) and the International Land Coalition (ILC) Asia, with the support of the GROW Campaign and Oxfam GB.

Government representatives from Cambodia, Laos, Nepal and the Philippines actively participated in the forum to support fair and effective land governance. Intergovernmental and multilateral organizations, such as the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, European Union and the German development cooperation agency GIZ, shared their experiences on safeguarding against involuntary resettlement, responsible agricultural investment and cooperation with Cambodian civil society.