Human security and land rights in Cambodia

The report of a project exploring human security and land rights in Cambodia. The project used a human security framework to address two questions: (1) What kind of insecurities do people in areas with land disputes have, and who is most insecure? (2) What provides people with security, and how does land policy relate to other sources of security over land? The study involved more than 400 participants in Kampong Chhnang, Ratanakiri, and Phnom Penh. The study shows that insecurity over land is about wider issues of poverty environment and livelihood insecurity. Women are more at risk of land insecurity, although cultural norms of land ownership and management benefit both men and women. Land title was an important source of security for many people in the study, but it did not provide full security. Knowledge and use of dilute resolution mechanisms is limited. Resettled communities face specific human security challenges; and economic land concessions provide limited opportunities for local people.