The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) have released a new report exploring how legal empowerment approaches equip citizens and local communities to hold public institutions and private companies accountable in large-scale land deals. The report analyzes the legal frameworks of 12 African countries, as well as 16 case studies. Findings suggest that legal empowerment has the potential to improve public accountability by reforming legal frameworks to strengthen local control and downward accountability and by increasing the capacity of citizens to engage with public institutions and policy processes.