Landesa Rural Development Institute: Formal and customary laws in securing land rights for the rural poor
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Learn more about the work of Landesa, a leading non-profit organization in the field of law and economic development working to tackle some of the world’s most stubborn and important problems – food insecurity, conflict, climate change, women’s lack of empowerment.
Landesa partners with governments and local organizations to develop durable, sustainable, pro-poor and gender-sensitive laws, policies, and programs that protect and strengthen land rights for the poorest people. In India, in China and in Sub-Saharan Africa, their land tenure experts work shoulder to shoulder with government officials and rural residents developing scalable and practical solutions.
Co-sponsored by Philanthropy and Civil Society (PACS) and the Levin Center. Lunch provided.
Jennifer Duncan has worked in international development for more than 15 years, with an emphasis on land and housing rights. She has considerable experience in land laws, program design and management, as well as land and women’s rights advocacy. Duncan has focused on gender issues and women’s rights to land and housing throughout her career. She has previously conducted policy work and field research on land issues across Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to her international experience, she has worked with socio-economic development and legal issues among minority groups within the US, including migrant farm worker communities in California and the Makah Nation in Washington State.
Colleen O’Holleran is the Program Manager for Foundations in Land Tenure at Landesa. She earned her MA in Sustainable Development at SIT Graduate Institute with an emphasis on economics and organizational management and her BA in Anthropology at University of Colorado at Boulder. Colleen has over ten years of experience as a program manager and consultant in the community-driven development sector. Most recently, Colleen has been at Engineers Without Boarders (EWB) as the Education Specialist and Chapter Relations Manager. During her time at EWB, she was involved in project planning, fundraising, leadership development and networking. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of International Development and Aid (VIDA), she also serves as Board Secretary for Un Mundo.