Fatshimétrie, November 4, 2024 – As interest in land issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to grow, a crucial workshop on the protection of land rights defenders will be held in Kinshasa from November 5 to 7, 2024. Organized by the National Land Coalition in partnership with the regional platform 9-10, this event promises to be an essential meeting to address the challenges faced by actors engaged in the defense of territories and communities.
The main objective of this workshop is to shed light on the land situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Africa, with a focus on the protection of land rights defenders. Angélique Mbelu, facilitator of the National Land Coalition, explains that the discussions will be structured around four important thematic sessions.
The first session will address the issue of gender and gender justice, highlighting the crucial role of women in land defense. The second session will focus on land grabbing in the DRC, a major issue that impacts local communities. The third session will address methods for protecting land rights defenders, emphasizing the importance of ensuring their safety and effectiveness in their engagement. Finally, the last session will bring together financial and technical partners involved in land issues in the DRC to share good practices and strengthen collaboration.
This workshop has a regional dimension with the participation of five partners from Africa, including Cameroon, Somalia, Madagascar and Kenya. This geographical diversity will allow for an exchange on the practices and tools used in each country to support people engaged in defending the land and environmental rights of local communities.
In short, this workshop promises to be a valuable opportunity to strengthen solidarity and cooperation between land rights defenders in the DRC and Africa. The protection of these defenders is essential to ensure social and environmental justice, as well as to preserve land and natural resources for future generations.