Property rights, whether individual, collective or customary, have the potential to significantly increase productivity and thus can have impact on food security and prices. However the linkages are complex and the potential does not automatically translate into reality.
The Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor made property rights one of the four fundamental pillars of legal empowerment. The commission argues therefore that property rights are examined holistically and include business and labor rights within a framework of equitable access to justice and the rule of law. The challenge is how to implement such an integrated approach rather than piecemeal change. This presentation will suggest entry points for change, based on the commission’s report and the presenter’s experiences.
Naresh Singh was Executive Director of the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor (http://www.undp.org/legalempowerment/) and is currently Director General, Strategic Planning and Co-ordination, Partnership Branch, Canadian International Development Agency.