Advocating for people-centered land governance in Malawi

From policy reform to community rights: NLC Malawi’s Journey

The International Land Coalition (ILC), in collaboration with the Mekong Region Land Governance Project (MRLG), is proud to announce the publication of a new case study titled Advocating for people-centred land governance in Malawi: The contribution of the national land coalition.

This case study chronicles the remarkable journey of NLC Malawi from its inception as the Malawi National Engagement Strategy (NES) platform in 2014 to its current role as a vibrant and diverse coalition advancing people-centered land governance in Malawi. It captures how the platform has:

  • Coordinated civil society advocacy that led to the enactment of 10 land-related laws between 2016 and 2018.
  • Evolved into a multistakeholder coalition of 33 organisations spanning government, civil society, academia, media, farmer groups, youth networks, and development partners.
  • Strengthened collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (MoLHUD), which endorsed the report and whose Principal Secretary authored its foreword.
  • Supported women’s and youth groups to claim their land rights, and driven evidence-based advocacy that has shaped national land policy and practice.

The multistakeholder platform on land governance has been an instrumental partner… while debates around shaping the 10 Land Acts were tense… The platform and the ministry continue to model a successful complementary working relationship between government and civil society organisations.

Devie Benton Chilonga – Principal Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Malawi.

This publication is part of the Capitalisation of Experience (Capex) Series #6, jointly produced by MRLG and ILC.

Advocating for people-centred land governance in Malawi: The contribution of the national land coalition.

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