Disputes and grievances over land and property are implicated in practically all conflicts. This course provides policymakers and practitioners with analytical tools for assessing and addressing an array of complex land and property disputes, from competing ownership claims and restitution to customary land rights and illegal urban settlements. Drawing on case studies of peace operations and peacebuilding efforts, participants explore the range of entry points (humanitarian, human rights, state building, development, etc.) and options for dispute resolution and structural reform. Participants will learn to understand the overarching principles of engagement, assess the desirability of intervention options, and apply lessons learned from several case studies, including Bosnia, Rwanda, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Colombia. This course is organized together with the Land, Property and Reparations Division of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), The World Bank, and USAID. By the end of this course, delegates will be able to:
- Identify a range of complex land and property disputes and assess their relation to a particular conflict;
- Understand the various mandates and entry points of international actors with regard to land and property disputes;
- Assess the desirability of a range of intervention options for addressing land and property disputes in a given context;
- Apply lessons learned from several case studies of complex conflict-related land and property disputes; and
- Understand and apply over-arching “principles of engagement” to interventions related to land and property disputes.