Participants in the Tenure Facility’s second learning exchange, 28 October 2016 in Washington D.C., shared achievements and ideas scaling up with government, private sector and other key partners. The more than 50 participants included project leaders, donors, expert consultants, RRI and Tenure Facility staff, indigenous leaders and observers. The session included a robust and candid dialogue about the success factors behind the pilots’ remarkable achievements, challenges encountered, and lessons for moving forward.
Participants said a key factor in their successes is the flexibility of the Tenure Facility’s funding mechanism and project design. As one participant explained: ‘Rigid resources do not respond to changing dynamics and political opportunities.’ Project leaders said the Tenure Facility’s flexibility allowed them to respond to political dynamics as they unfold and align project goals to emerging stakeholder needs. Other success factors identified included: trust and transparency; engaging government rather than giving money to government; designing and implementing projects to scale up; and developing high-profile platforms for engaging government, civil society, and private sector.
To secure long-term impact, participants said it is necessary to strengthen their country’s national capacity for implementing tenure rights as well as the capacity of community-based institutions. They said that community mapping is important because it strengthens broader community engagement and contributes to social and political processes for securing tenure. They called on the Tenure Facility to help them secure additional funding for scaling by communicating stories about their work globally and by helping them build trusting relationships with funders.
To learn more about the Second Learning Exchange and participant recommendations, read this report on the meeting highlights in English and French.
Learning Exchanges