ILC Africa’s Road to the 2025 Global Land Forum
Across Africa, communities, movements, and organizations are rising; demanding justice, recognition, and action to secure their land rights. As we approach the Global Land Forum (GLF), the voices of Africa’s land and environmental defenders have never been louder, clearer, or more urgent.
ILC Africa is a vibrant coalition of over 150 members spanning from grassroots to international organizations, working tirelessly to shape a future where land governance is just, inclusive, and grounded in the realities of Africa’s people.
This moment is critical. From the dry rangelands of the Sahel to the fertile valleys of East Africa, from the forests of Central Africa to the savannahs of Southern Africa, our shared land is under increasing pressure; threatened by land grabs, climate change, extractive industries, and unjust policies. Yet, hope and resilience grow where communities stand united.
Our collective priorities
Through a powerful regional consultation, ILC Africa members have outlined bold priorities for action:
Centering women, youth, and indigenous peoples
It’s time to shift power and resources to those who steward the land. The progressive policies on advancing women’s, youth and Indigenous Peoples’ must move from paper to practice, ensuring women’s and girls’ land rights are protected, enforced, and championed.
Supporting small-scale farmers and family farming
Across Africa, smallholder farmers feed our nations; yet they lack access to and control over land. Recognizing and strengthening their role is critical for food security and sovereignty.
Reforming land governance systems
We call for inclusive, African-led land policy reforms that address gender gaps, protect community rights, and deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union (AU) Guidelines.
Resisting land grabbing and displacement
From large-scale land investments in Madagascar to mining concessions in West Africa, ILC Africa members are saying no to extractive land grabs that undermine communities’ rights and livelihoods.
What must be done, and who must do it
As we head to Bogota, Colombia, for the GLF, we are amplifying our message as follows:
For policymakers
- Enforce court decisions, implement land laws, and prioritize local voices in decision-making.
- Recognize and protect indigenous knowledge and community rights, especially in climate adaptation and extractive contexts.
- Align national land laws with AU Guidelines and SDGs because secure land rights are a prerequisite for achieving progress in development.
For donors and development partners
- Invest in community-led land solutions and legal empowerment initiatives.
- Shift climate financing to the grassroots; less than 10% is not enough.
- Support rapid response funding for land rights defenders in times of crisis.
For ILC members and regional networks
- Endorse and implement the Gender Justice Charter; it’s time for action.
- Mobilize, translate, and localize priorities so they reach every community in every language.
- Create space for youth, women, and Indigenous Peoples to lead, not just to be consulted.
For communities, women, youth, and indigenous peoples
- Your voice matters; join advocacy spaces, tell your stories, and hold governments accountable.
- Build alliances; connect across borders and sectors to protect your land and your future.
- Demand climate finance reaches your communities; climate justice is land justice.
For media and the public
- Amplify grassroots stories; behind every land conflict is a human story waiting to be heard.
- Support community-led campaigns and elevate the voices of women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples in the fight for land rights.
Together, we are the future of land justice in Africa
The road to the Global Land Forum is paved with the hopes and demands of millions across Africa. This is our moment to ensure Africa’s land governance is shaped by African voices, African knowledge, and African realities.
Join us in this journey; stand with the communities, women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples who are leading the way for land rights, food security, and climate resilience across the continent.
Together, we are ILC Africa. Together, we rise.
