CORDS - first partner to sign new partnership agreement

The first partner in MS Tanzania Action Aid Denmark’s new partner portfolio, which is in the process of being revised, is CORDS.

On Friday May 15 the Director of CORDS, Lillian Looloitai, and the Director of MS Tanzania/Action Aid Denmark, Kristian S. Petersen, signed the partnership agreement between CORDS and MS Tanzania Action Aid Denmark.

CORDS has since 1999 worked to secure land and human rights through participatory approaches aiming to empower the poor and marginalised in local decision-making. Hence, the organisation has significant practical experience working with the legal and institutional framework governing women’s access to land in Tanzania.

CORDS is by many, including MSTZAADK, regarded among the leading agents in the field of land rights. The organisation has strong networks and well established mechanisms for advocacy, including links to influence decision-making in central government. MSTZAADK and CORDS have been in partnership since 2005 to achieve better rights and reduce poverty among pastoralists in Tanzania.

One of MS Tanzania Action Aid Denmark’s overall thematic objectives are that 'more women have secure access to land' and that 'ordinary women and men in 10 villages have safe and sustainable access to natural resources'.

More specifically, MSTZAADK strives, through a democratic focus, to empower ordinary women to claim their rights to land and resources in accordance with Land Acts No. 4 & 5. This entails that CORDS and other likeminded organisations shall be supported to mobilise citizens, carry out civil education and facilitate institutional capacity building necessary for securing Village Land Certificates, Village Land Use Plans and Customary Rights to Occupation (CRO).

MSTZAADK and CORDS together see the need for a society in which all people have legally recognised ownership over their production resources and a need to fight structural causes of poverty. This entails empowerment of women to overcome gender inequalities strongly embedded in social and market entitlements in Tanzania.

Though CORDS is the first partner in the new portfolio, CORDS is a very familiar and long-time standing partner with MS Tanzania Action Aid Denmark.

It is a common objective for the partnership between MSTZAADK and CORDS that more women have secure access to land in Kiteto Districts by 2012, and the work will together purse the common objective by supporting ordinary women who will be involved in village land certification and land use planning and village land registries in Kiteto District. The support will adhere to local needs and capabilities as well as meet legal requirements, including collaboration with local government authorities.

On the basis of CORDS’ achievements with village land certification, village land use planning and the organisation’s ability to organise and empower women in the pastoralist community in Kiteto district, MSTZAADK will gain from the partnership significant knowledge and know-how for its thematic team on Land Rights as well as make progress towards achieving targeted outputs.

CORDS on the other hand will, from the partnership, benefit funding as well as technical and organisational support for achievement of the project(s) accompanying this agreement as annexes and organisational development in general. Moreover, CORDS stands to benefit enhanced national networking and advocacy abilities from participating and contributing to activities in the thematic team on Land Rights.