A. Highlights of the round table 123. The global land tool network round table brought partners together to share experiences, challenges and lessons learned through the piloting of the gender evaluation criteria tool. 124. The meeting was opened by Mr. El-Sioufi and chaired by Ms. Kalibbala. Mr. Montandon represented the National Secretary of Urban Programmes and commented that, despite efforts, it was acknowledged that there was still a long way to go in giving effect to gender equality in the land area. Ms. BjÜrk-Klevby addressed the importance of gender and propoor land tools. 125. Ms. Augustinus explained the process of land tool development for poverty alleviation and gender equality and elaborated upon the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals through land reform, improved land management and security of tenure. 126. Ms. Peterson introduced the gender evaluation criteria. She stressed how important it was to work with gender and land issues on the ground. 127. Ms. Alhassan presented her work related to the land administration programme in Ghana, where customary land management was dominant. Gender responsiveness could only be achieved if chiefs were aware of the need for inclusive land management. 128. Mr. Chhatkuli explained how training and capacity‑building were linked to the piloting process, led by the community organization Lumanti, which was linked to the land reform process in Nepal. It had resulted in a strong partnership between the Government and Lumanti. 129. Ms. Chaves and Mr. Zarias discussed how the gender evaluation criteria had been used to raise awareness and assess the gender responsiveness of the master planning approach, which had been applied under the City Statute in Recife, Brazil.
132. After the presentations the governor of Recife announced that a group of communities in Recife, who feared eviction, would benefit from regularization of their land: that represented an emotional moment for many of those attending the round table. The panel then reacted to the various presentations. 133. Mr. Gadgil was impressed by the work and the governor’s commitment and he expressed the desire to know more about the details of the pilots. Mr. Ericsson said that women needed to be concerned in planning, they should have the right to own property and have opportunities to develop their businesses. 134. One member of the audience asked the Ministry of Cities of Brazil to assist in building the capacity of grassroots women. Mr. Enemark emphasized that the need to share expertise between organizations, ranging from land professionals to grassroots. Mr. DurandLasserve observed that, while the matrix was a useful tool, it was also complicated and very ambitious. Mr. Payne wondered how a simplified approach could be used to support professionals working on advocacy for gender and land. Mr. Makau drew attention to another very relevant tool, that of participatory enumeration, which also helped to empower women. 135. Ms. Noppaladarom stressed the importance of focusing on city-wide slum-upgrading for all and at scale. Ms. Witriol shared the view that gender and land should not only have been viewed from a human development approach but also from an economic rationale. Ms. Ngulupa stressed that grassroots women needed to enter in dialogue with governments and with each other. 136. Mr. Sait summarised the session and Ms. Augustinus closed the meeting. She concluded by highlighting the need to work on a guide on how to use gender evaluation criteria and on developing training.
B. Emerging issues
130. Mr. Montandon addressed the variety and high level of policy responses that should have facilitated more equal access to land in Brazil. 131. In the presentation of a cross-analysis, Ms. Ruijsink concluded that the gender evaluation criteria were a useful tool. There was a need to carry out more pilots, to simplify the matrix, to create a guide on how to use them and to build capacity.
137. The following emerging issues were identified in the round table: (a) The gender evaluation criteria matrix was a useful tool that supported the process towards implementation of pro-poor and gender responsive land-tools. It held the right questions to analyse gender responsiveness of land tools and policies; (b) The global land tool network would continue working with gender evaluation
Report of the fifth session of the World Urban Forum Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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