Introduction
In Kenya, the passing of the Community Land Act in 2016 marked a historic milestone. For the first time in the country’s history, Indigenous Peoples and local communities could secure legal rights to govern the lands and natural resources that they depend on in a way that’s inclusive.
Yet implementation has been slow. Communities continue to live with a constant risk of their land being grabbed by companies, local elites, and the government without fair compensation. Women are often disproportionately affected when community lands are lost.
Namati and our partners support communities to secure and register their land rights. We start by strengthening local governance by supporting communities to define collective rules and elect a community land management committee. In the process, communities create space for all groups in the community, including women and youth, to participate in decision-making.
The Road to Securing Land Rights in Kenya
Community paralegals also work alongside communities to secure fair agreements with investors, from start to finish, protecting local livelihoods and ecosystems and ensuring that those agreements are enforced. Learn more about Namati’s Land, Environmental, and Climate (LEC) Justice program here.
