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This research project offered an interactive and dynamic process of engaging community people, particularly the poor, women and peripheral people as well as researchers including sociologists, PAR experts, lawyers, policy analysts, gender experts, community development specialists etc. in analysing land rights and land dispute resolution problems to build a collective understanding of the issues, generation of potential information, develop critical awareness and knowledge to initiate community actions for the desired changes in existing land laws and dispute resolution mechanism. Two major objectives of the study were to : (i) to address potential knowledge gaps in land laws, land rights and land dispute resolution in the context of the poor, women and peripheral people as well as (ii) increase access, control and ownership of land by the poor and disadvantaged community through collective understanding, awareness raising, capacity building and community actions. Dispute resolutions facilitated by two major NGOs, Samata and Madaripur Legal Aid Association were studied to assess the extent of their pro-poor focus and the level of women's participation. The study have identified that the NGO led Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) models now being used in different parts of the country are innovative and effective compared to the formal land dispute mechanism of Bangladesh. The ADR model now being pursued by some NGOs have the authority, support and power from the Union Parishad (UPs) and also the social acceptability as it involve the community. It is also less costly compared to the formal dispute resolution mechanism and therefore be sustainable. Study recommended that ADR model can be introduced in selected UPs and based on experiences of these pilot replications could be introduced in other parts of the country. Undertaking action research through involving the stakeholders, the ADR model can be improved further. This, if introduced will be a big breakthrough in resolving land disputes, which will reduce thousands of formal litigations significantly. As the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) model has the social acceptability and less costly than the formal dispute resolution mechanism of Bangladesh, will no doubt be sustainable.
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