Kayah Earth Rights Action Network (KEAN), the Karenni Land Policy Developing Committee (KLPDC), and allied civil society organisations in Karenni State are collaborating with interim governance actors to advance inclusive land, natural resource, and environmental governance in areas outside military control. Building on years of community-based advocacy, KEAN and partners conducted consultations with local communities and civil society groups and engaged Karenni governance bodies on the need for a community-centred land policy. PeaceNexus supported strategic convenings and learning spaces that enabled civil society actors to coordinate advocacy, develop shared positions, and engage emerging governance institutions.
Results
In March 2025, the Karenni State Consultative Council adopted the Karenni State Interim Land Policy drafted by civil society organisations, signalling a shift towards recognising customary land rights and community-led governance. Following adoption, the Karenni Interim Executive Council began establishing a dedicated department for land, natural resources and the environment. Civil society actors have shifted from mainly watchdog roles to co-creators of policies and governance arrangements, and relationships between communities, CSOs, and interim authorities have improved. The process provides a locally grounded example of bottom-up, inclusive governance on contested issues within a conflict-affected context.
With PeaceNexus support, we were able to bring diverse key stakeholders to collaborate on concrete policy changes that will protect the land and natural resource rights of the Karenni people. In collaboration with Karenni CSOs and local governance, we are now working together to implement the policy on the ground.