Achieving a transformation in behavior necessitates a more protracted timeline compared to structural and other transformative measures. Frequently, transformative endeavors commence with structural modifications, such as altering the organizational framework, renaming departments, or merging units. However, when aiming for behavioral transformation, it becomes crucial to unite people and entities through strategic project/s in which everyone has a vested interest. One exemplary initiative in this regard is the Gelephu Mindfulness City project that emanated from His Majesty the King.

Dr. Ritu Verma was a Board of Director of the Land Portal Foundation for two consecutive terms

It is with great happiness that I extend my warmest congratulations to the Land Portal on its 15^th Anniversary!

As the Land Portal celebrates a decade and half of ground-breaking and impactful work in the area of knowledge-sharing on land rights and struggles across the globe, it has a lot to be proud of.

Introduction

Imagine a world where every community has the data, information and knowledge it needs to make informed decisions about the land they call home. A world where the power of information is harnessed to hold leaders accountable for managing essential natural resources sustainably.

By Paolo Groppo, FAO (R) Territorial Development Officer, grandfather of the Land Portal

The Land Portal Foundation, in partnership with Transparency International, hosted the webinar titled "Breaking New Ground: Insights and Stories on the Impact of Land Corruption on Discriminated Groups in Africa." The webinar brought together a panel of distinguished experts to delve into the challenges and complexities of corruption intertwined with discrimination in land rights and governance. This session provided crucial insights through detailed case studies and expert analyses, offering pathways towards more equitable land management practices.

In last month’s News Digest, we posed a question:  

Members of the House of Chiefs discussing Zambia's National Land Policy at a meeting organised by Zambia Land Alliance (Photo: Jesinta Kunda, ZLA)

Weighing gold (Photo: Enough Project, via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Deed)

How could a problem that affects at least 1,5 million people in a country like Brazil be so unheard of? How could so many families be evicted from their homes by public authorities, or with their endorsement, when staying at home was one of the main measures to contain a global health crisis, such as the Covid-19 pandemic?

Razina is different.  Unlike most people in Madagascar, his skin is pale.  His hair is blonde and his eyes are a light shade of pink.  Razina has albinism.

He became aware of just how different he was at a very early age.  When he arrived at school for the first time, all the other children teased and harassed him.  The bullying continued throughout his time at school.  “They treated me as less than human, like a dog,” he recalls.

Iris Krebber and UK's FCDO (then DFID) figured prominently in the early days of the Land Portal. Read this recollection to see how Iris inspired Laura Meggiolaro as the Land Portal was being launched as an independent organization.