The University of East London Law School in conjunction with the UN-HABITAT will host the Expert Group Meeting on the Cross- Fertilisation of Universal and Islamic Land Approaches.
This Expert Group Meeting aims to bring together a select group of key thinkers, scholars, practitioners, policy makers and civil society from a range of disciplines to explore steps required for transforming beneficial Islamic land rights principles into practical implementation tools. In particular, the experts will consider best practices and lessons learnt in a comparative perspective with the goal of achieving universal and Islamic rights and development goals.
Participation by Invitation only
09.30-10.00 |
Registration – Refreshments available |
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10.00 -11.00 |
Opening Session Welcome: Fiona Fairweather, Head, School of Law UEL |
11.30- 12.45 |
Session 1: How do Islamic, customary and universal land approaches intersect? Chair: Samer Badawi (Palestine, CGAP/World Bank) How is Islam relevant in considering development strategies? How do we as insiders/outsiders engage with Islamic debates? What are the risks and possibilities? When is the debate about faith, empowerment or both? What distinctive features facilitate a pro-poor approach? How, if at all, does Islam intersect with land differently from custom? What are the relationships between the universal and the Islamic? Can Islam derive from and teach to other land approaches? Who are the stakeholders that need to be involved in the process? |
12.45 – 14.00 |
Lunch at UEL |
14.00 – 15.15 |
Session 2: Why do we need Islamic land tools? Chair: Kofi Kufuor (Ghana, Law & Development UEL) What are tools? Why do we need tools? Why do we need Islamic tools? What Islamic tools exist? What are the tool priorities? Are there existing tool methodologies? How can the process be made systematic, multi-stakeholder driven and at the same time rigorous and professional? How can the process of developing Islamic tools relate to and draw from the generic tool development process? |
15.15- 15.30 |
Refreshments break |
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15.30- 16.45 |
Session 3: How can Islamic property doctrines, such as the Waqf, support pro-poor land empowerment and financing? Chair: Anne Bottomley (UK, University of Kent)
What are the issues of pro-poor land development and financing facing the Muslim world? Where do Islamic doctrines, particularly in relation to property, land and housing fit in? How do Islamic conceptions of property rights correlate to universal property rights? Can specific Islamic land approaches facilitate slum upgrading, pro-poor land financing and access to facilitate land reform, redistribution? In particular, how can the waqf serve as a vehicle for microfinance? |
09.00- 09.30 |
Refreshments break |
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9.30-10.45 |
Session 4: How can Muslim women’s equal rights to property be realised? Chair: Nazila Ghanea (Iran/UK, Oxford)
What is the status of Muslim women in relation to access to land? How does the property flow chart in relation to Muslim women work? What are the impediments to Muslim women’s equal property rights? How can Islamic property conceptions aid and support equal rights? What are the implications of the Islamic inheritance rules and systems? Can tanazul (renunciation of shares) work in a cross-gender way? Can an integrated and compensatory scheme for women’s property rights be implemented? |
11.00– 12.45 |
Session 5: What tools promote land rights and governance in Muslim countries? Chair: Rob Home (UK/Anglia Ruskin)
What are the land governance issues relating to appropriate and optimal allocation and utilization of land? What land governance issues confront the Muslim world? How do we link land policies and good governance? What Islamic egalitarian principles translate into property rights? What tools exist and are required for improved land governance in the Muslim world? How can capacities and institutionalisation be further developed? How can an effective multi-stakeholder process be initiated? |
12.45-14.15 |
Lunch break – Arrangements for Friday prayers made |
14.15- 15.15 |
Closing Session: Discussing the outcome document. Chair: Mohamed el-Sioufi (ROAAS, UN-HABITAT)
The EGM will consider proposals from the meeting on how best to advance the process of Islamic tool development. What are the strategies for tool development? Who needs to be involved? What are the priorities and obstacles which need to be overcome? What is the framework of principles for Islamic tool development? |
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General Rapporteur: Hilary Lim |
Lunch and refreshments will be provided on both days of the meeting, this will be complemented with regular refreshment breaks. Special attention will be paid to all dietary requirements and any special requests can be catered for with prior notification.
Prayer rooms are available on campus and special arrangements have been made for transport to and from Mosque for Friday Prayers.
There will be a complimentary tour of London after the meeting on Friday 18 May for all delegates wishing to take part departing from UEL Docklands campus at around 15:30 and ending in London at around 19:00, delegates are free to leave the tour at any time they wish.
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