Report: Regional Consultative Meetings on Land - Land Commission

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them and be able to have a host that will be
held responsible for actions incompatible to
the community way of life;
Are those people who have denounced their
Liberian citizenship (following presidential
declaration in the 1980’s that they were citizens),
but at the peak of the Liberian civil crisis
sought refuge in bordering countries and
reverted to citizenship of refuge country believed
to be their countries of origin (Bong,
Lofa and Nimba);
Are individuals returning to post-war Liberia
from neighboring countries and asking for
return of ideally situated land claimed to be
owned by them, but asserted by others in the
community as given them “on good will gesture”
(sentiment strongly expressed by women
from Bong, Nimba and Lofa counties) by
their fathers. Some of these individuals were
accused of having forged ownership documents;
Are squatters in large towns without “strang-
er mothers or fathers” of same ethnic group.
Shelter is often found in garages and makeshift
structures along roadsides or vacant lots.
Sometimes money is exchanged for “squatters
rights” which legally do not exist.
People who are able to integrate in the com-
munity and accept the traditional norms, e.g.
respect for elders with services rendered in return
for land rights.
Land is Crucial for Women’s Livelihoods
Land is critical to women’s livelihoods. Women
are expected to maintain the production cycle of
food crops, but they have limited access to and
insecurity of tenure which constrains their agriculture
production capacity. Access to land in order
to produce food crops for household consumption
and sale to provide for other basic necessities and
services (health care, education) would significantly
improve women’s livelihoods.
Women made the following recommendations on
how to promote equitable and Productive Access
to both Public and Private Land:
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Work to increase awareness, education, and
40 Governance Commisssion - Liberia
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advocacy on inheritance rights laws and other
laws that promote gender equity;
The process of acquiring deeds for land should
be decentralized. The current process is prohibitively
expensive and time-consuming for
rural residents;
The time period for formalizing land docu-
ments (that take up time they would have spent
on other livelihood activities) be shortened;
Fees to surveyors, land commissioners, and
responsible agencies handling land administration
should be affordable and regulated as
the meager financial resources within their
means is often depleted in following up on
land issues;
Corrective measures to encourage and sup-
port food crops production should be complemented
by incentives to produce cash crops
which have more monetary value;
Reinforce existing or formulate new policies
to promote women’s participation in decision
making on land, resource management,
and other related community activities and issues;
Laws and other practices that discriminate
against women should be replaced with new
laws that do not discriminate.
Literate women are more assured of access to land
than their illiterate counterparts. These women are
also more informed on the laws and their rights relating
to land holdings and dealings, and security
of tenure under statutory laws. While tree crops,
corner stones, soap trees, creeks are known to
most women as symbols that indicate ownership
and promote security of tenure, literate women are
more likely to be resolute and confident in pursuing
land cases even when their claims are not recognized
and tenure of security is threatened.
When asked, “How can you be sure the land is for
you?” most women responded with reference to
men rather than themselves, as it is men who control
decisions on land, and administer and guarantee
security. Responses included:
• If you are the first to brush an area of land for
farm/village belonging to a family quarter or
community, then the land belongs to you;