Brazil-Recife – Experts Support Grassroots Women in Land Regularization

Team of Experts
Supports Women in Land Regularization Process in Recife, Brazil

A “shadow advisory committee,”
embarked on a mission to Recife, Brazil today, to monitor and support women
during the model land regularization process.  The committee will stand
together with the grassroots women who are taking leadership within the
regularization process, supporting them to ensure gender equality and women’s
empowerment, applying the Gender Evaluation Criteria that they helped to
develop as part of the UN Habitat Global Land Tools Network (GLTN).  The
land regularization in Ponte Maduro in Recife was announced at the GLTN
roundtable at the World Urban Forum last March, informing the women that
their struggle would finally pay off and that after 45 years of no land land
ownership, the land would be turned over to the 8,000 families there.
 

The Huairou Commission has commissioned
this committee of experts, a ‘Shadow Advisory Committee’, to provide direct
support and technical advice to the Local Committee developed by Espaco
Feminista.  They will interact with the team responsible for providing
technical and legal assistance, support the community members in charge of
conflict mediation and visit the community.

This trip represents their
first major action.  The women visiting Recife this week are Ayse
Yonder, architect and Professor of City and Regional Planning at Pratt
Institute, Asa Jonsson of GLTN, Diana Medina of UN Habitat ROLAC and Katia
Araujo, Land and Housing Campaign Coordinator, Huairou Commission.  In
addition to these four women, the shadow advisory committee includes Diane
Dumashie, planner and leader in FIG (Association of Surveyors), Fati Al
Hassan (Grassroots Sisterhood Foundation, Ghana), Cecilia Martinez of the
ROLAC office and Birte Scholz Law and Policy Advisor of the Huairou
Commission.  

As GLTN ‘s partner
primary partner on gender, the Huairou Commission conducted pilot
projects of the Gender Criteria it helped to develop in GLTN. HC members
Espaço Feminista (Brazil), Grassroots Sisterhood Foundation (Ghana) and
LUMANTI (Nepal) tested the gender criteria’s relevance and workability in
evaluating large scale land tools, such as municipal Master Plans, land
reform commissions and land administration systems.

The land regularization
process has now begun.  Espaco Feminista is spearheading the process,
ensuring that women are empowered all along the way.  Espacio Feminista
has set up a Local Committee of state and local government officials,
grassroots women and men, community leaders and civil society
professionals.  This committee will plan, monitor and evaluate the
process of land regularization, working to resolve disputes and ensure a
sound planning process.  The Gender Criteria established in GLTN will be
used to ensure the process is truly gender sensitive.  The Local
Committee has representatives from CEHAB, FUNDAJ, Espaço Feminista, City of
Recife Council and members of the community (if and depending on internal
agreements

This process of land
regularization with women’s empowerment at its core is being
regarded by all involved, including the state agencies, as a model for future
regularizations. This is appropriate for Recife, as it has been a pioneer in
democratic human settlements work. The process is leading toward greater
decision-making power and leadership for women within their community.