Call for Papers: RDI-NALSAR Conference on Legal Aid to Secure Land Rights to the Rural Poor
The RDI-NALSAR National Conference on Legal Aid to Secure Land Rights to the Rural Poor invites papers. Of particular interest are the possible roles of governments, NGOs, and paralegals in securing the land rights for the world’s poorest people. The Conference will be held on April 10-11, 2010 at the NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. The deadline for submissions of abstracts is March 25, 2010.
Suggested Topics
The organizers suggest the following topics. I have modified the wording. The original text is on the conference website.
- What are the problems which are faced by the rural poor in securing their land rights? Is there a requirement to provide free legal aid to resolve their disputes?
- What are the strategies for providing legal aid to the poor including paralegal programs?
- Are existing legal aid models delivering the desired results?
- Should a national, regional, or local legal services authority specifically establish special efforts or institutional mechanisms to deal with land related disputes?
- Should NGOs prioritize free legal aid as an important component of their objectives to ensure rights for the poor?
- What are the common land disputes prevalent in the rural areas?
- Are the courts physically, economically, and culturally accessible to poor people? Do they serve as an effective mechanism to resolve land disputes? Are specialized “Land Courts” effective? If not, what improvements can be made?
Guidelines
The length of the abstract should not exceed 1000 words. The abstract should be written be formatted in Microsoft Office Word with double line spacing and Times New Roman font in size 12. The abstract must be submitted with the Registration Form. Selected papers are due 30 days after formal acceptance of the abstract. For more information, see the guidelines.
Eligibility
Open to all worldwide.
Deadlines
Papers may be submitted by email. The deadline for submission is March 25, 2010.