REPORT ON COMMUNITY CONVERSATION MEETINGS HELD FROM 4TH -9TH AUGUST 2016

Photo 1: Community conversation meeting provides platform for women’s to voice their issues in Kyangwali Sub County

Photo 2: Community leaders discuss their commitments during Community conversation meeting in Kigorobya Sub County

Introduction:

The community conversation meetings are part of AJURA project activities that is being implemented by Uganda Reach the Aged Association in Hoima District. These community conversations arise as a result of dialogue meetings which produced the consensus documents. These community conversations are follow-ups meetings with leaders on the progressive implementation of community consensus documents. The meetings provides a platform for communities to discuss on rights issues and audit  the support provided to older persons by community members to help them claim their rights.

The community conversation meetings were held from 4^th-9^th August 2016. The dialogue meetings were conducted in Kyangwali, Kiziranfumbi, Kigorobya and Kitoba sub counties community halls respectively and 206 (86female &119males) participants attended the meetings. The meetings were facilitated by the Project Officer URAA-AJURA Project and the Communication and Result Officer.

Photo 3: Leaders clarify some of the issues during community conversation meeting

Photo 4: Leaders clarify some of the issues during community conversation meeting

Objectives of the conversation meetings:

    To follow up on the previous consensus that the leaders agreed upon in different sub counties.

2  To provided a platform for communities to discuss on older persons rights issues 

 Methodology used during the conversation meeting:

The conversation meetings were conducted using multiple approaches ranging from Open discussions, individual reports submissions, brain storming and presentation. Other techniques used during the conversation meetings included use of local illustrations with day today examples. This made the conversation more participatory, reflective and positive informative. 

Target Participants.

The participants were; the sub county council leaders, the area land committee members of all the four sub counties, the Parish chiefs, older persons, the religious leaders and other opinion leaders.  

Proceedings, Presentations and sharing during the conversation Meetings.

The AJURA Project officer, informed the participants in all the meetings that the major purpose of the community conversation meetings was to follow up on the previous consensuses/commitments leaders made in different sub counties to support older person.  

Photo 5: Participants discussing the during the community conversation meeting in Kitoba Sub county

STEPS TAKEN ON FULFILLING THE PREVIOUS COMMITMENTS/CONSCENSUS BY THE LEADERS.

SUBCOUNTY KYANGWALI
ISSUES AGREED ON	WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
Rejuvenate the area land committees to be effective and support communities in land matters. Leaders to continue preaching the gospel of transparency among the area land committee members that sometimes cause land disputes due to double standards.   Support and handle older persons  land issues at  community level to reduce land conflicts , create harmony and minimize  cost incurred  in courts  Leaders agreed to convene a meeting for the LC1 chairpersons and other leaders to draw parish sensitization plans on land and older persons rights  Mobilize  communities  and support  older persons to apply for  local land registration certificates  to the area land committee     Integration of older persons issues in the sub county development plan   Leaders agreed to move a motion during council meeting of facilitating area land committee members.  Mobilize, sensitize community members and support older persons to prepare wills and clearly state the land partitions in their wills.  To mobilize and sensitize  land owners to follow legal means while settling of land issues and renting their land	Anew Area land committee has been approved by the district council.         66 male and 37female were sensitized on older person’s rights; will writing such that they can avoid land wrangles in their families.  Three persons were assisted in will writing and  one   land boundaries conflict resolved        3 persons with land issues  were referred to  paralegals for support       Two Older persons councilors sown in
KIZIRANFUMBI SUB COUNTY
ISSUES AGREED ON	WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
Mobilize, sensitize and support   community led land demarcation to resolve land conflicts. Leaders to continue preaching the gospel of transparency among the area land committee members that sometimes cause land disputes due to double standards.   Promote use of  alternative dispute resolutions as a means of resolving land conflicts at community level Support and handle older persons  land issues at  community level to reduce land conflicts , create harmony and minimize  cost incurred  in courts  Leaders agreed to convene a meeting for the LC1 chairpersons  and other leaders to draw parish sensitization plans on land and older persons rights  Mobilize  communities  and support  older persons to apply for  local land registration certificates  to the area land committee     Integration of older persons in the sub county development plan    Leaders agreed to move a motion during council meeting of facilitating area land committee members.   Mobilize, sensitize community members and support older persons to prepare wills and clearly state the land partitions in their wills.  To mobilize and sensitize  land owners to follow legal means while settling of land issues	New local area land committee was approved by the district council        One disabled person was displaced and case referred to the office of Resident District Commissioner (RDC)        Three parish chiefs trained in human rights and will writing have sensitized 120 male and 60 females)       Two councilors representing Older persons were sown in
KIGOROBYA SUB COUNTY.
ISSUES AGREED UPON	WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
Leaders agreed to sensitize tenants to acquire certificates of occupancy from the land lord to reduce on land conflicts between the landlords and the tenants/squatters.  Leaders to continue preaching the gospel of transparency among the area land committee members that sometimes cause land disputes due to double standards. Leaders agreed to set up a land register at the sub county that would establish total land owners in the sub county and ownership status Leaders agreed to convene a meeting for the LC1 chairpersons  and other leaders to draw parish sensitization plans   Integration of older persons in the sub county development plan   Leaders agreed to move a motion during council meeting of facilitating area land committee members.   Mobilize, sensitize community members and support older persons to prepare wills and clearly state the land partitions in their will Mobilize and sensitize  land owners to follow legal means while settling of land issues and renting their land  Mobilize, sensitize and support   community led land demarcation to resolve land conflicts.	Mobilized and sensitized 300 female and 200 male  on community led land demarcation campaigns land rights and older persons rights       Names of the New area land committee have been submitted to the district council for approval          One person was supported to make land boundary         Two councilors representing Older persons were sown in
KITOBA SUB COUNTY.
ISSUES AGREED ON	WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
Community sensitization meetings on land demarcation and supporting them  to demarcate their lands  to reduce land conflicts   Leaders to continue preaching the gospel     of transparency among the area land committee members that sometimes cause land disputes due to double standards.   Support and handle older persons  land issues at  community level to reduce land conflicts , create harmony and minimize  cost incurred  in courts  Leaders agreed  convene a meeting for the LC1 chairpersons to and other leaders to draw parish sensitization plans on land and older persons rights   Mobilize  communities  and support  older persons to apply for  local land registration certificates  to the area land committee   Leaders agreed to move a motion during council meeting of facilitating area land committee members. Mobilize, sensitize community members and support older persons to prepare wills and clearly state the land partitions in their wills  Mobilize and sensitize  land owners to follow legal means while settling of land issues  Integration of older persons in the sub county development plan	40 male and 25 female  were sensitized on land rights and older persons rights        New area land committee names have been submitted to the district council  and have been  approved         Two councilors representing Older persons were sown in

Key Concerns arising from the Community conversation Meetings:

• Term of office expired for Area land committees and the new committees have been approved but  not inducted

•   Inadequate information about Oil pipe line designated route, communities don’t know whether they are in the pipe line corridor.

• Some local leaders connive with people to steal older persons land and sell without consent and knowledge of older persons

•  Land ownership is a challenge and boundary demarcations especially on family land

•  In Kigorobya sub county leaders said that District doesn’t compensate  peoples properties and gardens destroyed while constructing roads

• Elected older persons sub county councilors  have not been inducted on their roles and existing laws

• Older persons fear to prepare their wills early thinking they die early that affect writing wills  properly while they are strong

• Delayed  roll rout of older persons grant scheme to all parts of the country especially Hoima district

• Lack of affirmative action to enable the older persons enjoy their rights

Key Resolutions and Action Points by Leaders:

• Continuous  awareness  on older persons rights and land right

• Sub county  councilors for older persons  conduct consultation meetings with older persons and present outcomes to their  councils for action

• Paralegals should involve  area local leaders during awareness sensitization meetings and dispute resolution

• A representative of paralegals should always be invited for conversation  meetings to respond to some issues that may arise 

•  In Kyangwali sub county ,leaders referred two land disputes  cases  to paralegals for mediation

• In Kigorobya sub county  leaders referred one  land dispute  cases  to paralegals for mediation

• Mobilize, sensitize community members and support older persons to prepare wills and clearly state the land partitions in their wills

Conclusion.

The community conversation meetings have enabled local leaders in the four sub counties of Kyangwali, Kiziranfumbi, Kigorobya and Kitoba to discuss consensus documents. Follow up mechanisms have also been put in place by the leaders themselves on their commitments. URAA will continue to follow up these commitments made by leaders in different sub counties in partnership with paralegals.