Sustainable Peace
Sustainable Development and Peace: the Complexities of Land Tenure and Reconstruction in Haiti
Together with the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at the Earth Institute, Columbia University, and The Environmental Law Institute (ELI), in Washington D.C., AC4 is currently engaged in applied research investigating conflict and complexity surrounding issues of land tenure in Haiti.
Project Aims
- 1) Describe the historical and social context surrounding land tenure in Haiti
- 2) Detail the legal framework, organizational entities and current policies relevant to land tenure in Haiti
- 3) Explain the nature of conflicts related to land tenure in Haiti
- 4) Detail the current practices for addressing these disputes
- 5) Note potential gaps in the process of the fluid administration of land tenure in Haiti
This project is specifically aimed towards identifying key stakeholders involved in the aforementioned processes, and to provide recommendations for policy and research directed towards building sustainable peace in Haiti through addressing conflict and complexity related to land tenure.
By combining applied research on the ground with archival research and best practices regarding land tenure in other regions of the world, ELI, CIESIN and AC4 seek to provide holistic solutions to the complex problems faced by the people and government of Haiti by engaging in locally-directed and externally-informed interdisciplinary collaboration.
Developing Policy Recommendations to Reduce Land-Based Conflicts By Conducting Field Research
The field research component of the project consists of a land tenure survey examining tenure patterns and conflict resolution mechanisms on the Southwestern coast of Haiti. The survey randomly samples 50 households, split between 10 communes from Haiti’s Sud department, and is supplemented by interviews with local officials. The goal is to use the results as the basis for a workshop and ultimately for policy recommendations. By examining local land tenure perceptions and comparing these with official land tenure regulations, the team hopes to form policy recommendations that will reduce the number of land-based conflicts and increase land tenure security. In addition, this study will generate some baseline data against which further land tenure study results can be measured.
Scholarship Generated By Sustainable Peace Initiative
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