Why emphasize the continuum of land rights?
For the purpose of delivering security of tenure to the majority, GLTN is of the view that land rights are not restricted solely to registered rights, and especially not to individual property rights. They must be seen as a continuum. For instance, land tenure involves a complex set of formal and informal rights, ranging from various rights of use to conditional or full rights (e.g. title and deeds) to dispose of the land. It is, therefore, important to recognize the continuum, pluralism and progressive land tenure as an instrument for conflict prevention and resolution, long term political and social stability (peace building, especially in post conflict situation), social equity and people empowerment. The figure below illustrates a possible continuum of rights from ‘informal’ to ‘formal’ rights. It is important to note that ‘registered freehold’ should not be understood as the ‘preferred’ or the ultimate rights, but just as other form of rights.
