Enhancing Land Tenure Rights and Security of the Maya Peoples of Southern Belize

Project Overview

In late 2019, the JCS in collaboration with the TAA and MLA started the implementation of a first project (called “Securing and Protecting Tenure Rights of the Maya People of Southern Belize”). The project was supposed to be implemented over a two-year period, but it was extended due to the global outbreak of the COVID pandemic in early 2020. This new project represents a continuation and expansion of that first project.

The geographic context and overarching aim of this new project are the same as the first one. However, the theory of change and the main lines of action of this new project are slightly different because they incorporate the lessons learned and working approaches tested and validated during the first project.

Objective

Actions

• 10 new target villages have given their consent to auto-delimitate their traditional territory.
• By the end of year 3, 210,000 ha pertaining to 21 communities have been auto delimitated on the ground.
• The Ab’ink (Village Meeting) of communities have agreed and documented a shared vision (“lix nab’uuch komonil”) for their territory through a participatory process that contributed to generating village-level awareness and collective consciousness.
• The Ab’ink of 9 communities agreed and documented community customary by-laws (“lix chaq’rab’ komonil”) that regulate the use, enjoyment and occupation of community land, defined clear roles and responsibilities for the community land governance institutions, and strengthened the integration of women and youth in these governance structures and processes.
• Institutional strengthening plan implemented for each one of the three main partners of this project

Expected impact  

• Tenure security of 300,000 hectares of Maya land pertaining to 35 communities strengthened.
• Maya communities with shared vision, robust customary rules, and stronger community land governance institutions that integrate women and youth in their structures and processes.
• JCS, TAA and MLA demonstrably increase their capacity and resilience in one or more of four areas (e.g., people, strategy, finances and systems) and rely upon their increased capacity to expand and deepen their impact.
• Enhanced dialogue with other indigenous organizations, civil society networks, and government agencies ensures critical changes in policies and programs related to Maya land rights at the national and international level.