This webinar will present findings from research conducted by the Mekong Region Land Governance (MRLG) Program and its partners on the recognition and formalization of customary tenure rights across the Mekong region. It will highlight key themes from two important regional publications: « The Recognition and Formalization of Customary Tenure in the Forest Landscapes of the Mekong Region: A Polanyian Perspective » and the « State of Land Brief: Recognition of Customary Tenure in Forest Landscapes of the Mekong Region. »

The event aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of customary land rights of local communities and Indigenous Peoples in the region, focusing on the complexities of tenure recognition. The webinar will be solutions-oriented and will provide insights into country-specific experiences from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. These discussions will serve as a basis for exploring the pathways, challenges, and methodologies that can improve the recognition of customary land and forest rights.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the different approaches and the importance of recognizing customary tenure rights, as well as the innovative solutions and best practices that can be scaled up or replicated to improve tenure security for local communities.

The webinar will take place in English, Khmer, Lao, and Vietnamese.