Methodology
LAMOSA takes a lead in implementation, however these are done in conjunction with LAMOSA member communities.
Advocacy and Lobbying
Advocacy and lobbying campaigns are crucial for the implementation of result areas that deal with policy development and review in the restitution and redistribution processes primarily. This strategy will be more successful if it is used in collaboration with other civil society organisations in the land rights sector. LAMOSA will thus work in collaboration with other organisations in impacting on land reform policy and in the facilitation of the land restitution redistribution processes. Advocacy and lobbying will also be used for result area five which deals with ensuring that resettled communities are provided with the necessary infrastructure and basic social services by local government and other government departments.
LAMOSA women’s groups will also lobby and advocate for women’s land rights and co-ownership of family land as well as Inheritance rights; They will always identify issues for inclusion in the National Land Policy; amendments of specific sections of the Land Reform and reform/revision of pieces of legislation on land such as ESTA, CLARA and PIE to conform with the National.
Whilst implementing the above, LAMOSA recognises the shortfall in the current framework and commits itself to continue debates internally for effective to lobby for meaningful agrarian reform which will result in poor landless men and women acquiring equitable access to, ownership and control over land, water and related resources.
Capacity Building
For advocacy and lobbying to happen effectively, communities need to be capacitated on the legislation framework regarding land reform. In addition, for communities to effectively manage land allocation and land use post settlement capacity needs to be built. Thus capacity-building programmes will be key to the implementation strategy of LAMOSA. This will include:-
- Awareness raising on the legislation framework
- Training on key aspects of policy and legislation as well as community governance Building capacities of men and women in elected office to be more responsive to women and the needs of their communities
- Building women’s capacities to articulate their priorities and demonstrate their capacities to control and manage resources and services
- Promoting alliances between grassroots women and individuals in positions of power
- Assisting communities to set up systems for governance and land use administration
- Awareness raising and mobilisation of resources for economic development activities in the community
- Experiential learning events
- In-service training and Facilitation of capacity building programmes
Exploration of Models and Patterns for Replication
LAMOSA has continuously strived to explore for new community models for development in post settled communities and replicate them. Below are some of local and international experiences of which the programme has engaged in:
Mapping
Grassroots women have made significant accomplishments in improving community access to resources but these advances are often not adequately documented. Mapping places grassroots women in the center by empowering women to document local practices, strategies and tools, and to undertake critical evaluations of their communities. Mapping also provides women with deeper insight into the implementation of national housing laws and policies at the local level. The Huairou Commission has continued to deepen the Land & Housing Campaign’s understanding of the mapping process and outcomes by continuing the mapping process in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Through this process Huairou Commission members not only document the initiatives of grassroots groups but it also develops and test community assessment methodologies and tools.
Learning and Peer Exchange
LAMOSA organized a study tour to Zimbabwe in 2002, where communities from Limpopo, Northwest, Mpumalanga and Gauteng visited all the stakeholders in Zimbabwe in a fact-finding Mission. Peer exchanges, both nationally and internationally; promote a forum for experience sharing, knowledge transfer and discussions of best practices as well as challenges and lessons learned. Grassroots organizations are often preoccupied coping with daily activities and require external support to analyze their work through a peer learning and advocacy lens. Grassroots women’s groups in the Land & Housing Campaign have identified tools and strategies they would like to learn from one another to scale up their good practices
Policy and Local to Local Dialogues
LAMOSA has previously engaged different stakeholders including Government in Policy Dialogues sessions, where gaps where identified through case studies and resolution where made. The National Land Committee also organized learning sessions and Policy Conferences, which assisted in inducting and developing staff capacity in terms of devising intervention strategies. These activities assisted a lot in preparing landless masses in engaging effectively in the dialogues at the 2005 land summit.