July 27, 2021 (NAIROBI, Kenya): The Director of Agriculture and Environment of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Mr. Mohamed Moussa, yesterday opened the meeting of the Directors responsible for Lands and Directors responsible for Gender/Women Affairs in the IGAD Member States in preparation for the Ministerial level meeting to be held tomorrow July 28.
The Main objective of the meeting was to review the IGAD Regional Women’s Land rights Agenda and the IGAD Regional Conference Outcome document in preparation of the Ministerial Meeting on 28th July 2021.
“We have experienced and learned the power of collaboration as the Ministries of Gender/Women Affairs supported the Ministry of Lands in mainstreaming gender. There is power and value in inter-ministerial collaboration”, the Director said in his opening remarks.
“We pledge our continued commitment to supporting our Member States through research, capacity development, policy development and implementation as well as knowledge management. We are further committed to mobilizing resources for and with our Member States to ensure that the commitments on gender equality are made are implemented and delivered at scale” he continued.
The Meeting of Directors responsible for Lands and Directors responsible for Gender brought reviewed and approved the Regional Women’s Land Rights Agenda as well as the IGAD Regional Women’s Land Rights Conference Outcome Document, with the aim of preparing for the meeting of the Ministers to endorse the IGAD Region Women’s Land Rights Agenda. Furthermore, this was the initial meeting in which the Directors responsible for Land and the Directors responsible for Gender form the IGAD Member States interface and discussed matters of mutual interest in as far as implementing a common agenda on gender and land is concerned. These discussions informed further programing of the regional women’s land rights agenda.
The IGAD Region on 28 – 30th June 2021 held its first ever Regional Women’s Land Rights Conference that brought to bear the transnational and intergenerational connectedness of women’s rights to land. Statements of commitment were received from the Highest representatives of Government in the Ministries responsible for Lands and the Ministries responsible for Gender/Women Affairs of each of the IGAD Member States. The Planning and organizing of this regional conference was done with the IGAD Directors of Lands Platform being at the core supported by the Gender Focal Point Persons in the Ministries.
The IGAD Land Governance Programme launched in 2015 is aimed at helping IGAD and its Member States to address the various land policy and governance issues faced by countries in the region. The Land Governance programme is currently implementing its 10-year business plan for period 2020-2030 with 4 strategic objectives:
- Land administration in IGAD region is more efficient, harmonized and gender inclusive;
- Enable sustainable development through strategic gender-sensitive and conflict-sensitive approach to land use and management;
- Increased Member States capacity to leverage land (rural, peri-urban, and urban) for economic transformation;
- Reduced barriers and enhance protection of women’s rights to land in the public and private sphere.
