General

The number of land conflicts has been significantly increased over the last 10 years in Cambodia. However, the 2001 land law was adopted following other supporting mechanisms. The land demarcation done by the relevant authorities and also the youth volunte ers (following Directive 01) has not been clear especially in the land conflict areas. Both the citizens and authorities who have been involved in the conflict and conflict resolution found the difficulties in addressing the issues without statistics and l ack of information. Moreover, lack of land certificate and overlapping in certificates has put the land demarcation in difficulties.The aim of Land and Livelihood Advocacy Project (LLAP) is to provide capacity building on basic Alternative Dispute resoluti on (ADR), Family Law, Land Rights and Land Registration, Advocacy, Women Rights, and other relevant laws through trainings, awareness raising, workshops, commune forums, meetings and dialogue. Expected results: people at the target areas are aware of ADR, their rights are fulfilled and dealing with issues is done in a peaceful manner. This will be achieved when community members are aware of the responsibilities of government and duty-bearers [such as District/Khan Cadastral Commissions (DKCC), Commune Coun cils (CCs), Local Authorities (LAs)] have improved capacity on Alternative Dispute Resolution and land law to fulfill, to protect and respect communities’ rights. Thus the capacity of the duty-bearers will be strengthened to be able to fulfill their obli gations to realise the rights of the communities. Rights- holders /beneficiaries: At least 31,787 households located in 25 villages at selected LWD programme areas in Kampong Speu, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Battambang provinces will benefit from the project . The district Cadastral Commission, local authorities and LWD staff will benefit from the project through capacity building on Alternative Dispute Resolution. Life with Dignity (LWD) has been working together with FCA in partnership for over 20 years to i mprove the livelihoods of the poor and marginalized in rural Cambodia, engaging both rights-holders and duty-bearers.

General

Cambodia?s 2001 Land Law attempted to limit encroachment into state land (technically about 80% of Cambodia?s land area) while providing for legal expansion of smallholder agriculture through the distribution of up to five hectares of state land as ?social land concessions? which would be eligible for title after five years of continuous occupation and use. In 2003, Sub-Decree 19 on Social Land Concessions (SLCs) was enacted which provided for a locally initiated and managed process of planning and implemen ting SLCs. In late 2005, the State Land Management Sub-Decree provided the legal basis for district and provincial levels of Government to work with communes to identify and officially allocate state lands for SLCs.Land and Advocacy Development Project (LA DP) has been prepared to provide capacity building on Alternative Dispute resolution (ADR) Land Rights and Land Registration, Advocacy, Women Rights, and relevant laws to ensure that the people are aware of ADR and the responsibilities of government and ot her duty-bearers to fulfill, to protect and respect communities? rights. In addition, the capacity of the duty bearers will be strengthened to be able to fulfill their obligations to realise concerned communities? rights. Objectives:? To promote democratic participation and human rights at the grassroots level by educating and supporting vulnerable groups, victims of land dispute and local government (Commune Councils) to become more effective at advocating their communities? needs.? To ensure the most vuln erable groups are able to access to their agriculture land and control over productive resources and assets for enhancing their livelihood activities. Rights- holders /beneficiaries: Approximately 1 000 households located in 25 villages at selected LWD pro gramme areas in Kampong Speu, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Battambang provinces will benefit from the project. The district Cadastral Commission, local authority and LWD staff will benefit from the project through capacity building on Alternative Dispute Resol ution. Implementing partner: Life with Dignity (LWD)LWD has been working together with FCA in partnership for over 20 years to improve the livelihoods of the poor and marginalised in rural Cambodia, engaging both rights-holders and duty-bearers. Since 2011 , the partners have been implementing a land rights awareness project in Kampong Chhnang and Kampong Speu provinces with the aim at increasing awareness on land rights and land registration of vul

General

The project reviews conflicts over natural resources in developing countries and brings new perspectives to the public debate. The main medium is a special issue of the journal Peruste published by the think tank Vasemmistofoorumi and distributed to thousa nds of readers. Also the communication of the issue and the related public event are concrete results of the project. The conflicts in developing countries particularly in Africa are often discussed separately from environmental and natural resource issue s. One often focuses only on the acute armed conflicts. This project discusses conflicts around the governance of natural resources in developing countries.The vast majority of the world's poorest people live in countries rich in natural resources.Environm ental destruction land ownership issues and the privileges to use natural resources are often in the background of conflicts and political disputes. Also the effects of climate change such as desertification and changes in the water cycle hinder the exploi tation of natural resources particularly in arid regions and increase the risk of conflict.The disadvantages of the use of natural resources appear mostly at the local level among the poorest part of the population (for example as environmental pollution o r increasing shortages of natural resources) whereas the benefits flow often out of their reach. Questions around privileges to use natural resources cause conflicts in the developing countries. Also the privatization of natural resources (such as water) h as accelerated conflicts.The project will try to bring democratic ways of managing natural resources into discussion. Essential questions are: who benefits from the exploitation of natural resources and who will bear the disadvantages? Who should have the discretion about the use of natural resources? Who owns the natural resources and in which way?There is relatively much discussion about the democratic management of natural resources but this discussion has mostly taken place in the academic context. The backgrounds of conflicts are however of more general interest which means there would be demand for popularisation.