The role of law in the reduction of rural poverty

Chirwa, M.C.; Vidar, M.; Yeshanew, S.

The role of law in the reduction of rural poverty

Towards leveraging legal frameworks

Year of publication 2020

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 56 p.

Author Chirwa, M.C.; Vidar, M.; Yeshanew, S.

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Book (series)

ISBN 978-92-5-132258-1

Series title FAO Legal Papers

Series number No. 105

Edition 1

Full item page

Synopsis (short abstract) Considering the importance of legal frameworks in laying down governance and accountability frameworks, clarifying the responsibilities of relevant public and private entities and defining the long term and budgetary commitment of states, the capacity of countries to adopt and enforce laws in pertinent areas is crucial to reducing rural poverty. Countries have signed up to international and regional instruments that are of relevance to rural poverty and have adopted policies and legislation in these areas. However, a number of normative, institutional and operational challenges exist in different countries. These include regulatory gaps in some areas such as social security for agricultural workers; the existence of laws that sustain discriminatory practices, for example, in relation to inheritance of property; and inconsistencies in norms and institutional mandates in the area of natural resource governance. Even with relatively good laws, their practical implementation may be wanting due to limitations of capacity to implement them. These problems would require a range of measures on the part of state and non‐state actors, including the adoption or revision of laws as well as awareness‐raising and legal empowerment. This legal paper explores the significance of legislative frameworks to poverty reduction efforts, with a particular focus on human rights. It highlights sectoral areas for legislative intervention and identifies normative, procedural and institutional challenges that states encounter while implementing poverty reduction programmes. It further refers to examples from state practice and provides recommendations on how relevant actors can make use of legislation to address rural poverty.

Last updated 30/06/2021

Cite this content as:

Chirwa, M.C., Vidar, M. and Yeshanew, S. 2020. The role of law in the reduction of rural poverty: Towards leveraging legal frameworks. FAO Legal Papers No. 105. Rome, FAO.

https://doi.org/10.4060/ca8013en

Read on Google Books and buy online

Language English

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

Book (stand-alone)

Social assistance and productive support policies implementation in rural areas
Are social protection policies designed to reach the rural poor?
2020

Also available in:

No results found.

Many studies have provided global and regional overviews of the state of social protection policies and their importance to poverty reduction, food security and nutrition. However, little is known about how such policies are designed and implemented in rural areas, or how they complement and link to agricultural support programmes, which may cover the same geographical areas and reach similar types of beneficiaries. Both social protection and agricultural policies are needed for poverty reduction in poor rural populations. Yet coordination between the two sectors is generally limited and, until recently, little attention has been paid to their complementarities and how these might be exploited to improve rural livelihoods. This study contributes to filling these gaps by documenting and analysing recent trends in social assistance programme implementation at global and regional levels, and identifying the programmes that are fully or partially designed to focus on rural areas. It also identifies social assistance programmes with an explicit agriculture production support component and/or linkages with existing agricultural support programmes, as well as support programmes with explicit social assistance components and/or linkages with such programmes.
Book (stand-alone)
Legislating for sustainable small-scale fisheries
A guide and considerations for implementing aspects of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication in national legislation
2020

Also available in:

French
Spanish

The Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) are the first international instrument dedicated entirely to the small-scale fisheries sector. While the implementation of the SSF Guidelines will require legal and regulatory adjustments beyond national fisheries legislation to ensure political and legislative coherence and fully reflect the breadth of their provisions, the fundamental function of fisheries law in a sustainable use, management, and the development of small-scale fisheries is indisputable. Appropriate fisheries legislation provides the strongest possible framework for inclusive, participatory fisheries governance and resource management by providing a coherent basis for implementing and enforcing the SSF Guidelines and other related international and regional agreements and commitments. Legislation can therefore be a tangible way to support small-scale fishers, fish workers, and their communities and contribute to broader development goals, including the progressive realization of the right to food, poverty eradication, equitable development, and sustainable resource utilization. This document, Legislating for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries – A guide and considerations for implementing aspects of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication in National Legislation, is a tool for States to strengthen their fisheries legislation in order to establish conditions for inclusive and sustainable small-scale fisheries development, taking into account the interrelatedness of social, economic and environmental sustainability, while focusing on marginalized groups.
Book (stand-alone)
Responsible investments in agriculture and food systems – A practical handbook for parliamentarians and parliamentary advisors 2020

Also available in:

French
Spanish

This Practical Handbook is directed to Members of Parliament and Parliamentary Advisors, who are considered “change agents”. It provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of the role that Parliamentarians can play in the creation of reliable, coherent, and transparent “enabling environments” in the range of areas related to investment in agriculture and food systems. The Handbook does so, not through a catalog of prescriptions, but through guidance notes, examples of good practices, and very practical indications. It does not aim to provide a blueprint to be implemented by each Parliament but rather it sets out key stages of processes and mechanisms for MPs and advisors to consider while promoting responsible investment in agriculture and food systems. Part 1 of the Handbook presents the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems and explains:
why there is an urgent need to enhance responsible investment in agriculture and food systems: high levels of malnutrition and poverty (exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic), population growth and urbanization, increasing demand for more resource-intensive diets, climate change, and its severe impacts;
what is responsible investment in agriculture and food systems: “Responsible investment in agriculture and food systems contributes to sustainable development by generating positive socio-economic and environmental impacts, enhancing food security and nutrition. It requires progressively respecting, protecting and fulfilling human rights”;
and how can it contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and national development plans - scaling up support to small scale farmers, engaging and empowering youth, closing the gender gap, and improving access to infrastructure, public services, and agricultural finance, and, in general, investing in the sustainable production of safe and nutritious food while contributing to improving inclusion in the food system, prioritizing vulnerable populations and adopting a human rights-based approach to food security, in line with the SDGs spirit of addressing inequalities and ensuring that no one is left behind.
In Part 2, through specific Guidance Notes, Parliamentarians and advisors are guided through concrete actions they can implement in their countries to improve and increase investments, actions such as: executing a national policy, legislative, and institutional frameworks assessment; ensuring consistency in the legal and policy framework; advocating to reform existing laws and/or adopt new laws; ensuring adequate financing for the implementation of laws related to responsible investments in agriculture and food systems and ensuring effective parliamentary oversight are detailed throughout.