Security and Legal Certainty about Tenure

Security refers to the perception of persons in relation to their rights and benefits concerning tenure. In this respect security refers to: i) the degree to which the owners of land feel they will not be arbitrarily deprived of their rights and the economic benefits thus generated; ii) the certainty that individual rights to land will be recognized by others and protected in the event of specific threats; iii) the right of all individuals, men, women and groups, to effective government protection against forced eviction.

Certainty refers to a more objective characteristic, i.e. how the form of tenure is legally recognized and supported by the institutions which constitute the corresponding Land Administration Systems (LAS).

Spillover Effect

See Externalities.

Subnational Entity

These are administrative bodies that form the territorial division of the State. They are generally political and administrative in nature, but they can also be created for legal, ecclesiastical or military purposes, for example municipalities, or indigenous and afrodescendant territories with some degree of autonomy or protected areas which have their own administrative bodies.

Sustainable Livelihoods (SL)

This term was first used by Robert Chambers in the mid-‘80s and can be defined as the capabilities, assets (including both material and social resources) and activities required for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks and maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets both now and in the future, while not undermining the natural resource base. Livelihoods are therefore affected by external events which can increase their resilience and consequently reduce their vulnerability.

A livelihood is composed of the capabilities, assets (including both material and social resources) and activities required for a means of living. These capabilities and assets can be divided into five types of capital.

• Human capital Characterized among other things by good health, diet, education and knowledge.
• Social capital Networks and connections between individuals with shared interests, forms of social participation, and relationships based on trust and reciprocity.
• Natural capital The natural resources which benefit livelihood.\Physical capital The infrastructure and equipment that meet the basic, productive needs of the population.
• Financial capital The financial resources that populations use to achieve their livelihood aims.

Security and Legal Certainty about Tenure

Security refers to the perception of persons in relation to their rights and benefits concerning tenure. In this respect security refers to: i) the degree to which the owners of land feel they will not be arbitrarily deprived of their rights and the economic benefits thus generated; ii) the certainty that individual rights to land will be recognized by others and protected in the event of specific threats; iii) the right of all individuals, men, women and groups, to effective government protection against forced eviction.

Certainty refers to a more objective characteristic, i.e. how the form of tenure is legally recognized and supported by the institutions which constitute the corresponding Land Administration Systems (LAS).