Nicholas joined the Land Portal in September 2016 as a Research Analyst. Previously, he worked at the World Resources Institute (WRI), an environmental think tank in Washington D.C. At WRI, he assessed the land tenure security of indigenous and community lands for LandMark, a global platform of community lands. He also examined and wrote about expropriation laws and practices as well as environmental regulatory frameworks for WRI's The Access Initiative. In 2012-2013, Nicholas worked for the Law Reform Commission of Liberia in Monrovia and Oxfam India in New Delhi, where he conducted legal research related to land tenure, local governance, and other issues. He has a B.A.in Economics and Political Studies from Pitzer College and Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) from Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Currently, he is pursuing at PhD at the University of Groningen Faculty of Law. His dissertation will focus on whether national expropriation, compensation, and resettlement laws in developing countries are adopting international standards designed to secure tenure rights and ensure responsible land governance.
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Law on Land Acquisition 2017
Article One:
This law has been enacted in accordance with paragraph (4) of article 40 of the Constitution of Afghanistan.
Objectives
Article Two:
The objectives of this law are as following:
Zambia: Conversions of Customary Lands to Leasehold Titles
Zambia recognizes two types of land tenure: customary and leasehold tenure. While historically the majority of land in Zambia has been held under customary tenure, leases (also called leasehold titles) are the only legal means of holding land rights.
Towards a protocol on fair compensation in cases of legitimate land tenure changes
The Organising Committee of the Dutch Land Governance Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue has commissioned an investigation into the need and possibility to develop a protocol on fair compensation in cases of legitimate land tenure changes, with a focus on expropriation. This is in line with the Ministry’s role in the Land Governance Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue. This dialogue involves government, civil society, business, finance and academia.
Towards Transparency in Land Ownership: A Framework for Research on Beneficial Land Ownership
In many countries, unidentified private individuals and legal entities obtain significant economic benefits from land. This lack of transparency can make it harder for affected communities and governments to hold them accountable for land use decision-making and any sort of violation they commit. It can also leave investors open to risk if they do not know who is truly behind a company they are doing business with.
The Land Portal Foundation Partners Up with Maastricht University for Student Research Project on Land Governance
Posted by Catalina Goanta on Mar 16, 2018 in Catalina Goanta | on The Land Portal Foundation Partners Up with Maastricht University for Student Research Project on Land Governance
Press release
Land and Resource Rights for Economic Growth
Hundreds of millions of people around the world lack recognition of their rights to the land they live and depend on. Without legal recognition or basic documentation, people cannot plan for the future or invest in their land, even if they have lived and worked on it for decades.
Avoiding the Worst Case Scenario:
This paper examines whether national expropriation and land laws in 30 countries across Asia and Africa put Indigenous Peoples and local communities at risk of expropriation without compensation. In particular, this paper examines whether national laws ensure that communities are eligible for compensation and whether eligibility requirements effectively close the door on communities seeking compensation.
Compensation for Expropriated Community Farmland in Nigeria:
In Nigeria, the recurring impoverishment and other negative socioeconomic impacts endured by landholders affected by expropriation are well-documented and call into question the Land Use Act’s (LUA) effectiveness in protecting local land rights. The World Bank’s Land Governance Assessment Framework found that, in Nigeria, “a large number of acquisitions occurs without prompt and adequate compensation, thus leaving those losing land worse off, with no mechanism for independent appeal even though the land is often not utilized for a public purpose”.
Ley de la inversion privada en el desarrollo de las actividades economicas en las tierras del territorio nacional y de las comunidades campesinas y nativas
Artículo 1.- La presente Ley establece los principios generales necesarios para promover la inversión privada en el desarrollo de las actividades económicas en las tierras del territorio nacional y de las comunidades campesinas y nativas.
ILC Rangelands Initiative
The Rangelands Initiative of the International Land Coalition (ILC) is a global programme facilitating learning between and providing technical support to different actors who are working to make rangelands more tenure secure.