a[data-mtli~="mtli_filesize5MB"]:after {content:" (5 MB)"}lang="en-GB"> Corruption, discrimination and land rights in Sub-Saharan Africa - Corruption Watch
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Corruption, discrimination and land rights in Sub-Saharan Africa

Source: Transparency International

The rising demand for land due to the global food crisis, climate change, rising sea levels, desertification, and extreme weather events, all limit its availability and accessibility. As global crises exacerbate inequalities, people who experience discrimination see their land rights affected the most.

An earlier 2021 report by the Equal Rights Trust and Transparency International, Defying Exclusion, illustrated the mutually reinforcing general links between discrimination and corruption. Our new report, This Beautiful Land: Corruption, Discrimination and Land Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa, explores – for the first time – the dynamics of discriminatory corruption in the land sector. Examining evidence and case studies from seven countries in Africa – Ghana, Madagascar, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe – and drawing insights from desk research, key informant interviews and original testimony from affected communities experiencing discrimination, This Beautiful Land uncovers clear patterns of how corruption and discrimination interact to impact land rights.

Land corruption includes all corrupt practices in the land sector and threatens the lives and livelihoods of people and communities, the environment and climate, food security and political stability. It is incredibly widespread, takes many forms and involves a wide range of actors. While the impact of land corruption on land rights is well documented, This Beautiful Land looks to understand its relationship to discriminatory practices.

Read the report below, or download it.

Discriminatory corruption in the land sector

Transparency International chapters spoke with individuals protesting unfair compensation following compulsory land acquisition in Uganda, people with albinism in Madagascar who had lost access to land, members of the Nubian community who face discrimination in Kenya, and farm workers denied fair benefits in equity schemes in South Africa, among others. The research found that corruption and discrimination intersect in many ways. Specifically, our findings show that:

Recommendations

In light of the report’s findings, we urge states to take concrete measures to promote accountability and information transparency in land governance. Policymakers should take immediate action to protect individuals and communities whose land rights are undermined by the dual threats of corruption and discrimination.   This includes adopting comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and implementing clear anti-corruption safeguards in all areas of land governance.

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