Title: Global Land Tool Network

Source/Sponsoring Agency: Global Land Tool Network; United Nations Human Settlements Programme

URL: http://www.gltn.net/

Date Checked: 1/5/2009      Status: Active

Date Annotated: 1/5/2009

Topics: Housing Law; Land Use Planning; Poverty Law; Property; Women and the Law; International Law; Politics;

Other keywords: Land Use; Housing; Gender; Poverty; Public Land Law; Land Management

Contents: The Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) is a project that was initiated in 2006 by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), together with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the World Bank. Its purpose is to “contribute to poverty alleviation and the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) through land reform, improved land management and security of tenure.” GLTN’s network of registered partners now includes 36 key global partners, 58 member organizations, and 626 individual members. The primary method by which GLTN and its partners advance their goals is through the creation and development of tools that allow for the implementation of large scale changes in land policy. In addition to tool development, GLTN provides global and country-level support; conducts documentation and research, and hosts various events including Internet forums, expert group meetings, and training. The most recent E-Forum dealt with gender-responsive land tools and included a lively discussion. Although the information provided in the forum is available to anyone, one must register to reply and post new topics. Text appears in English, but one may comment in Spanish and it will be translated. Interested individuals who register to become members may also access newsletters. Another valuable service provided by the website is its E-Library where one will find various materials pertaining to GLTN and tool development. Publications are available for free in PDF format, and are broadly organized into multiple categories such as Gender, Land Information/Management, and Land Use Planning. One may conduct a search for articles using a simple word search or through a more useful advanced method in which the search is narrowed by choosing from helpful lists provided in menu format. The advanced method allows the searcher to narrow searches to specific cross-issues, by country, and by language. Information provided by the site is current, including an itinerary of events occurring globally in 2009, which may either be viewed as a list or in calendar format. One may also view an archive of events, news articles featuring GLTN in the news, press kits on key events and publications, and photos from previous events. More limited portions of the site are available in French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and Portuguese. The site provides a site map, a basic overall search feature, and an RSS feed that allows the user to keep up with news, E-Library publications and events.

Author of Annotation: A. Emerson