Neil Sorensen joined the Land Portal as its Communications Specialist in October 2015. He has extensive experience leading communications for international organizations and developing relationships with civil society, donors, intergovernmental agencies, the media and the private sector. Previously, Neil worked for the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) as a Governing Bodies Officer and Strategic Adviser to the Secretary of IFAD. He has also led communications for three international organizations, including the International Land Coalition, the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). He holds a Master’s degree in Global Diplomacy from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) as well as a Bachelor’s degree with a double major in German and Sociology from St. Cloud State University.
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When Women's Rights Are Not Enough
Around the world, women in 155 countries face legal restrictions on the economic opportunities available to them, according to the recent World Bank Group's report Women, Business and the Law 2016, which highlights the challenges women face in the global economy and underscores the need for legal reform.
Kenya: Proposed Land Bills Are Against Interests of Communities and Should Be Withdrawn
When Kenyans enacted the Constitution in 2010, one of the crucial areas that we decided to focus on was land reform.Ke
The key target of this is the recognition, protection, and registration of community land rights.
It is unfortunate that land reform has now been turned into a political process that fails to respect the aspirations of the people.
It is especially disheartening that the proposals that were derived by the task force on community land have now been trashed and we are presented with land Bills that do not respect the needs of the people.
Open Government Partnership Global Summit: An Opportunity for Strengthening Land Rights
The Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit in Mexico City this week brings together more than 1,500 participants, including ministers, from around the world. While OGP member governments have made notable progress toward transparency and accountability through the four-year-old partnership, there has been little attention given to making land holdings and land transactions transparent.
Land Rights in Poor Countries Is a Hot Cause for More Funders
We reported recently on how the land rights group Landesa won the Hilton Humanitarian Prize, which is given annually to a “a nonprofit organization doing extraordinary work to reduce human suffering.” Landesa received the latest award of $2 million in unrestricted funding.
India: single women demand rights over land and livelihood
Single women under the banner of National Forum for Single Women’s Rights on Tuesday demanded that the government ensure their constitutional rights over land and livelihood.
Women leaders pointed out that in some states, they do not have legal right over land, while in others they do have such rights but without any mechanism of implementation.
The women gathered in the national capital for a convention representing 11 states said that their struggle is to have the central government draft a special policy for single women.
Land rights activists warn of dangers in UN proposal
The farmer and the cowman, the musical Oklahoma tells us, should be friends. Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, a remarkable young African woman who campaigns for land rights for her pastoralist Mbororo people, would agree.
Water and land rights – hand-in-hand for sustainable development
The recent Stockholm World Water Week provided plenty of opportunities to explore the links between water and land rights, and the importance of these rights for ensuring sustainable development at both local and national level.
Who Owns the World's Land? A Global Baseline of Formally Recognized Indigenous and Community Land Rights
In recent years, there has been growing attention and effort towards securing the formal, legal recognition of land rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Communities and Indigenous Peoples are estimated to hold as much as 65 percent of the world’s land area under customary systems, yet many governments formally recognize their rights to only a fraction of those lands. This gap—between what is held by communities and what is recognized by governments—is a major driver of conflict, disrupted investments, environmental degradation, climate change, and cultural extinction.
Reaping the Rewards: Financing Land Degradation Neutrality
As a result of poor management practices and contrary to logic; finance and investment in food production has been one of the main drivers of land degradation by transforming natural ecosystems and favoring short-term profits over long-term sustainability. For all sectors that rely on the land, “business as usual” comes with rising costs and new risks. Risks we cannot afford in the post-2015 world.
Indigenous Voices in Asia Media Showcasing Fair 2015
The indigenous peoples who are largely concentrated (70%) in Asia region of more than 200 million continue to experience social injustice and discrimination. Their identities and collective rights continue to be denied by states particularly their rights to their lands, territories and resources, cultural heritage and self-determined development.