Human Rights Delegation for Young Leaders

AJPRODHO Global Youth Connect and CIMS 

  CIMS Rwanda

 CIMS – Center for Social Mobilization   with whom we have worked before, mediates land disputes and helps the government to register land equitably in several targeted areas of the country. Represented by Damien Mwarambiri and Zawadi Umuhoza, CIMS focused its relationship to the UDHR on mainly article 17 (right to own land). Each and every participant of the workshop contributed to the work of CIMS by engaging in a special fieldwork project (see below). Following this, two GYC volunteers Chelsea Fairbank and Sarah Jackson spent two weeks working with CIMS, in part drafting a report of the observation visit to Rwaza, and helping with strategic planning.

Combined US – Rwandan Land Rights Experiential Learning Expedition to Rwaza

As an attempt to provide practical experience to the participants, as well as to take action together to assist grassroots efforts on important human rights issues, one of the main components of the workshop was a group fieldwork project tackling one pertinent/urgent issue in Rwanda: land rights. (We decided that we couldn‘t focus on everything, and that one issue would provide a good example for tackling other issues).

Why Land Rights? Rwanda is one of the most densely populated countries in the world where, up until a few years ago, few citizens possessed titles to their land and numerous conflicts arose around land issues. CIMS, a local NGO, has been working on mediating land disputes and helping the government to register land equitably in several targeted areas of the country, beginning in Rwaza Sector, in Musanze District. Rwaza became the focus and location of our combined group fieldwork project.  First, the entire workshop studied the history of and the need for land reform in Rwanda (including the need for land titles, but also the need for family planning and off-farm jobs and training – to reduce pressures on the land). After, we developed focus group discussion questions for members of the Rwaza community as well as the local leaders, and journeyed to Rwaza at the invitation of CIMS and the community members. CIMS had prepared the community effectively for the visit, trying hard to not raise expectations and to relate the visit to its own work, as opposed to some outside force.

When we arrived in Rwaza, we first met the local Sector Level authorities in charge of land issues. Following this informational meeting we split into 4 groups of 6 people each to go to separate neighborhoods to hold the meetings and focus groups with families.  The meetings and focus groups were followed by a meal shared with all community members who participated, then a group debriefing with community volunteers working with CIMS.  Afterwards, the workshop participants discussed what they had seen and heard and came up with a list of conclusions, questions that have yet to be answered, and recommendations to be shared with stakeholders through CIMS.

The main conclusions of the visit were:

 The communities were generally pleased with the results of land registration. Individuals testified that CIMS had done a good job in helping to explain the 2005 Organic Land Law in order to resolve conflict over land.

 The communities were particularly very appreciative of the opportunities land reform afforded women in the community, whereas women had previously not been able to lay claim to land or inherit land.

 While they were generally enthusiastic about land rights, some people, however, expressed concern that the new agricultural policy of the Rwandan Government encourages Mono-Cropping and that they were forced to grow, for example, only maize – whereas they would like to grow beans in addition to maize. They noted the following troubles related to mono-cropping:

• Not enough livestock to produce sufficient fertilizer for Mono-Cropping

• Low-quality seeds (in order for mono-cropping to succeed they will need better quality seeds)

 One focus group mentioned that CIMS is helping people to understand why it is good to use one plot of land for one crop and that the mono-cropping might be something that ultimately succeeds with proper attention and effort.

 Other problems families in Rwaza face which are related to land issues, including:

• Hunger

• No market for women to sell handmade baskets (i.e. if they try to get off-farm activities to reduce land pressures, they need better training and access)

• Size of land plots are too small since there were so many people registering and inheriting land (this is a reason to support mono-cropping, as combining land plots and growing one crop in a cooperative fashion is part of the policy