Social tenure domain model requirements from the perspective of pro - poor land management
C. Augustinus, C. Lemmen, Peter J. M. van Oosterom · University of Twente Research Information · 2006
Clarissa AUGUSTINUS, Kenya, Christiaan LEMMEN and Peter VAN OOSTEROM, The Netherlands Key words: Core Cadastral Domain Model, Pro-Poor Land Management, Social Land Tenure Domain, Pro-Poor Land Administration SUMMARY Land is the key issue behind slum formation. Addressing the slum challenge means taking the land issue seriously. Given that experience has shown that it takes 15-25 years to change a country's land administration system, we cannot afford to wait if we wish to improve the lives of slum dwellers now in the short-term. Many people think that the way to solve the problems of insecurity of tenure, homelessness and the development of slums is through large scale land titling (Biau, 2005). While this approach is of course important and necessary, it is not enough on its own to deliver security of tenure to the majority of citizens in most developing counties, especially in Africa. The best figures available indicate that less than 30 percent of the land in developing countries is titled. In many countries of Sub Saharan Africa, this drops to one percent. There are many reasons for this, such as the fact that customary tenure has a very strong influence. Individual land titling often works against the needs and aspirations of ordinary people, including in urban Africa where informal forms of land tenure are often adaptations of rural customs. Land administration systems with colonial roots do not really support the registration of customary or informal rights. This means that socio-technical innovations are required. It should be noticed that in the technical field, there is often an insufficient focus on pro poor technical and legal tools. In the development of the FIG Core Cadastral Domain Model, efforts are being made to avoid such criticism. This pro poor approach is being strengthened by undertaking further research into domain modeling, especially in regard to the proposed Social Tenure Domain Model as a specialization of the Core Cadastral Domain Model. A partnership between FIG and UN HABITAT within the frame work of the Global Network of Pro-Poor Land Developers could be the basis for a further analyses and development of the Social Tenure Domain Model. This Network is being facilitated by UN-HABITAT together with partners such as FIG, the World Bank, ITC, the Lincoln Institute, Swedish and Norwegian aid, to be able to identify and solve some of the key blockages to the delivery of security of tenure for the poor. An appropriate pro poor Social Land Tenure Domain Model is considered one of the priority tools.