Around 16 social movements and civil society organizations (CSOs) of the Land Watch Asia (LWA) Campaign and the International Land Coalition - Asia from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and the Philippines gathered in Dhaka, Bangladesh last 23 January and issued a statement for the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) held from 25-27 January. 

The CSOs urged CIRDAP and its member governments to renew commitments made at the World Conference on Agrarian Reform for Rural Development (WCARRD) 30 years ago to pursue land and agrarian reforms and a pro-poor and sustainable growth model founded on the principles of equity, productivity and participation.

The groups also stressed the importance for CIRDAP to dialogue with or increase space for civil society within CIRDAP's processes to discuss critical issues affecting the access and control to land of poor and marginalized rural sectors in the region.

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