As governments press pause on economic activities and people change their work and social behaviors to halt the spread of COVID-19, there are several hidden dimensions that can put pressure on land governance and management and threaten the land rights security of millions worldwide. The response to the pandemic has unfolded like a slow-moving natural disaster, disrupting the daily pattern of our lives and revealing stressors on our institutions. And like a natural disaster, how countries and communities prepare – both before and after a catastrophic event – can be the difference in long-term prospects for resilience and recovery.
Landesa, alongside the Land Portal and several partner organizations, is organizing a webinar and discussion series exploring the land rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bringing together leading experts on land, gender, housing, migration, and disaster response, the webinars will center on the impacts of COVID-19 on women’s land rights, access to housing and evictions, and patterns of migration and de-urbanization. An online discussion following the webinar series will synthesize expert discussion and seek to present practical advice and guidance for governments and communities to account for and protect land rights within their response to COVID-19.
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