JUSTICE Briefing Note 58164 POOR for the Promoting equity and managing conflict in development November 2010 Volume 5 | Issue 4 Leasing in Vanuatu: Findings and Community Dissemination on Epi Island By Milena Stefanova, Raewyn Porter, and Rod Nixon Introduction Under the Vanuatu Constitution, the “rules of custom shall form the basis of ownership and use of land.”1 Implementing this principle after decades of land alienation,2 however, has proved to be challenging. While the leasing arrangement was originally intended to restore investor confidence and main- tain agricultural development in newly independent Vanuatu, it soon evolved into the method of acquiring new leases over previously unalienated land. Tourism, business, agriculture, industry, urbanization, and the desire to use land to secure financial loans are some of the driving forces behind the cre- ation of leases. The upsurge of land alienation through leasing in postin- dependent Vanuatu triggered the convening of the National Coconut Plantation in Valesdir, Epi. Land Summit in 2006 to address the many problems that had emerged.3 In response to the summit resolutions, the govern- ment has put together a comprehensive land reform agenda for achieving the vision of “a prosperous, equitable and sus- 1 Article 74 of the Vanuatu Constitution. 2 tainable land sector for Vanuatu.”4 Both prior to and after independence, land could be alienated through leases, which, since independence, have been limited to a maximum duration of 75 years, either to Ni-Vanuatu or to foreigners. Despite these efforts, however, the government has had 3 The Land Summit produced 20 resolutions, which highlighted the need for strengthening group customary ownership; ensuring the participation of all groups only limited capacity to conduct the research necessary to in decision making about land use; removing the Minister of Land’s power to ap- better inform Ni-Vanuatu about the contemporary leasing prove leases over disputed land and imposing a temporary moratorium over lease situation and thereby facilitate local and national decision granting; maintaining public access to the sea; promoting the government’s unbiased role as intermediary in negotiations between parties; and increasing public aware- making on the future direction of land use and development. ness of land rights and laws. While valuable research has been carried out on leasing for 4 5 Vanuatu Land Sector Framework 2009–18. Sue Farran, “Myth or Reality: Case Study of Land Tenure in Efate, Vanuatu” (Pa- the island of Efate,5 there is a lack of empirical data about per presented to FAO/USP/RICS Foundation South Pacific Land Tenure Conflict leasing across Vanuatu as a whole. Symposium, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, April 10–12, 2002). This briefing note was written by Milena Stefanova (Program Coordinator, J4P Vanuatu), Raewyn Porter (Consultant, J4P Vanuatu), and Rod Nixon (Consultant, J4P Vanuatu). Daniel Adler (TTL, J4P Vanuatu), Teresa Marchiori (Knowledge Manager, J4P), and Nick Menzies (Program Coordina- tor, J4P) provided useful comments on drafts of this note. the world bank The World Bank’s Jastis Blong Evriwan program (JBE)6 is currently conducting two sets of research projects (one nationally and one in two specific localities) that will help address this gap, focusing particularly on one of the key concerns identified by the Land Summit: the need for fair dealings with respect to land. In collaboration with the gov- ernment of Vanuatu, JBE runs a National Lease Profiling Project that analyzes existing lease records to profile land- leasing patterns nationally. In addition to this national-level work, JBE is carrying out comprehensive locality studies on Epi and Tanna islands to investigate the way customary groups engage in land-lease dealings in Vanuatu. These stud- ies combine desk reviews of lease files with in-depth qualita- Epi village. tive field work that records the story behind the leases. This briefing note summarizes the findings of the research Government of Vanuatu national lease data indicate that conducted on Epi island7 and discusses methodologies for there are 22 leases on Epi. Hard-copy files were available disseminating research findings to affected communities. from the Department of Lands for 20 leases. A further three leases, for which there were no Department of Lands files, were identified during field research. Therefore 23 leases Summary of Research Findings formed the database for the Epi lease analysis, seventeen of which were created on land previously alienated by preinde- The island of Epi is located in the northern part of Shefa pendence titles. province, one of the six provinces of the Republic of Vanu- atu. The provincial authorities rely heavily on the role of Of the 23 leases, eight are agricultural, eight are com- chiefs8 for maintaining peace and harmony at the communi- mercial, four are special (including an airport, a school, and ty level through the application of kastom;9 however, chiefly two communications facilities), one is residential, and two authority is not recognized in the formal local government are of unknown type (both are likely to be special, as one is a system.10� navigation/communications installation and the other a pro- vincial administration lease). Twenty leases (minus one for According to preliminary counts of the 2009 Census, Epi no data, one cancelled, and one surrendered) comprise 6,317 has a population of 5,207 people (2,580 males and 2,627 fe- hectares and cover approximately 14.2 percent of Epi land males). Most households are dependent on agriculture. Dur- area (44,534 hectares). ing the colonial period from the mid-1800s, Epi experienced considerable land alienation for the purpose of planting co- conut and producing copra. Cattle production became more prevalent around the mid-1960s. This preindependence land 6 Jastis Blong Evriwan (JBE), Vanuatu, is part of the World Bank’s research and de- alienation experience shapes land leasing on Epi today. velopment program Justice for the Poor, which supports analytical and programmat- ic work in countries where legal pluralism presents a central development challenge. 7 Raewyn Porter and Ron Nixon, “Wan Lis, Fulap Stori: Land Leasing on Epi Is- land” (JBE Research Report, Justice for the Poor, World Bank, 2010). 8 Today the term “chief ” encompasses a broad category of authorities, indicating the multiple sources of power present within the archipelago, as well as the di- vergent roles of those who are proclaimed chiefs (by themselves and others), both in the past and present. Benedicta Rousseau, “The Achievement of Simultaneity: Kastom in Contemporary Vanuatu” (PhD Thesis, St. Edmond’s College, University of Cambridge, 2004). 9 Kastom is a form of indigenous morality given expression not only through the exercise of chiefs, but also through the evaluations made by all Ni-Vanuatu of the correctness (or otherwise) of particular courses of action, ways of behaving, and means for bringing resolution to conflict. (See Rousseau, “The Achievement of Si- multaneity,” 1.) 10 On Epi several nasaras (family groups) form one nakamal—a sacred place where meetings, dances, ceremonies, and celebrations are held. If a problem arises within one nasara, the chief of the nasara is responsible for resolving the matter by ap- plying local kastom. If different nasaras are involved, the dispute is resolved at the nakamal by the paramount chief or the village council of chiefs. If the dispute involves more than one village and/or if one party to the dispute is not satisfied with the village council of chiefs’ decision, the matter could be taken to the area council of chiefs. The same can happen with area council of chiefs’ deliberations, where the dispute is taken to the island council of chiefs. The research highlighted a number of inequities con- cerning the current lease creation and lease management “I had tumas long mifala blong karem infomesen long hao blong mekem development insaed long kraon processes: blong mifala, olgeta long Vila oli no moa tingbaot mi- fala mekem se taem investa I kam mifala i mekem lis • Identifying custom landholders can be problematic. agrimen wan taem from mifala tu i wantem mane we i The process whereby custom landholders are identi- hariap mo i isi blong karem.” fied (and thus have the right to negotiate a lease) is open to abuse by individuals or small groups of people It is very difficult for us to receive information on how who pursue registration of leases without due consul- to develop our own land, maybe because the people in the tation among holders of custom land rights or the local capital forgot about us and so that is why whenever an council of chiefs. In most cases, the consultations with investor comes along to ask for land, we sign the papers right away, not knowing what will happen in the future be- the custom landholder groups were not recorded and cause we want to get our hands on quick and easy money. very likely never occurred. Two cases were identified of the secretive registration of leases without consulta- tion with custom landholders and possible claimants, and without the involvement or approval of the island that require compensation for improvements on expiry council of chiefs. A further case of minimal consulta- of the lease, and poor benefit distribution, all result- tion and the noninvolvement of the island council of ing in minimal long-term benefits for communities. chiefs occurred in relation to the registration of a large Rental rates for agricultural leases are approximately agricultural lease. VT 200–25011 per hectare per annum, for commercial • Systems for benefit sharing are weak. Leasing tends to leases approximately VT 3,500–4,000, and for special concentrate benefits in the hands of a small number of leases VT 14,000. Reviews of annual rent payment and senior men, and cash payments are often quickly dis- the monitoring of lease conditions are not systemati- sipated on consumables with little sustainable impact. cally done and custom landholders expressed frustra- Land trusts are being created to provide rights to a tion at the lack of development of leases by lessees wider custom group as beneficiaries; however, there is who had promised to undertake improvements. In only little evidence that these structures improve outcomes one case, however, had a lease been cancelled.12 in practice. In the process of transition from custom • Poor lease creation processes also drive prolonged landholding to formal lease registration, important land disputes, mainly between custom claimants over user rights (for example, women’s rights to gardening, the ownership of the land. The lack of monitoring and access to coastal areas, fishing rights, and so forth) are enforcement of lease conditions has led to unresolved vulnerable. Women, in particular, appear to be largely grievances over unrealized lease benefits (for example, excluded from any decision-making processes associ- unpaid annual rents or unfulfilled promises of tourism ated with land leasing. development or employment for local communities). • Environmental and social impacts of development Of the 23 leases studied, 10 had been subject to dispute. are not well mitigated. Preliminary impact and envi- Conflicts between locals over custom ownership are ronmental impact assessments are not systematically common, with disputants pursuing the issue through carried out, despite legislative requirements—even in chiefly forums and, where knowledge and resources the case of large lease areas that affect such issues as exist, the formal court system. Research suggests that subsistence living and food security. For example, a the island council of chiefs represents an appropri- recent agricultural lease was granted without the re- ate forum for the administration of lease applications quired impact assessments, despite concerns that the through the acceptance or rejection of Custom Owner arrangement could cause the displacement of people Identification Forms (COIF) and the resolution of cus- from the gardens they cultivated. tom landholder disputes, but it does not have sufficient • Custom landholders generally negotiate from a posi- formal authority to enforce its decisions. Moreover, tion of disempowerment. Little support or information there are no measures to ensure that the deliberations is available to custom landholders to guide decisions of the island council of chiefs are considered by the on whether to lease or pursue alternative development formal courts. paths. If they do decide to lease, there is no support for negotiating the terms and conditions of the lease. The practice of writing leases in English and not Bislama further undermines the understanding of rights and re- 11 12 100 Vatu (VT) is equivalent to approximately US$0.98 (exchange rate May 2010). This followed a situation in which the lessors applied for a determination from sponsibilities in relation to leases. This often results in the Land Referee regarding the nonpayment of rent and the land’s not having been poor leasing outcomes, such as low rents, lease clauses preserved, fenced, or generally developed as required in the lease covenants. Community Dissemination: Play Narrative: Unfulfilled Promises Epi Legal Aid Days of Lease Benefits In July 2010 JBE held workshops to disseminate research The drama story performed by the team begins with a findings to communities and provide legal awareness and song that describes the beauty of the island and its natu- legal aid services. Teaming up with a local theater group, ral resources as the ultimate source of life for every Ni- the Natantong theater, JBE experimented with innovative Vanuatu. methodologies to disseminate findings to affected communi- An investor comes to the island and seeks to buy a huge piece of land (3,000 hectares) through a local middleman. ties on Epi in three villages: Sara, Burumba, and Rovo Bay. The investor sweetens the middleman with money, a plane Community drama presented an opportunity to bring villag- ticket, and promises of benefits for local communities. He ers together in an informal setting where they could debate asks the middleman to convince the chief of the village sensitive land issues. and its inhabitants to grant the lease. A village meeting takes place at which the middleman The dissemination was combined with a legal awareness and the investor talk the chief and the community into the program, conducted in collaboration with a Ni-Vanuatu law- proposed plan. The investor also hands out an amount of yer and a representative of the Department of Lands, aimed at money to the community as an initial payment, which the enhancing understanding of custom landholders’ rights with chief accepts on behalf of everyone. The next day the chief, the middleman, and the inves- regard to land leasing. Most people on Epi island can rarely tor visit the project area and an agreement is reached for afford to see a lawyer, and participants appreciated the op- the chief to lease the land for 75 years. The chief signs the portunity to receive free legal advice on the many problems lease agreement without reading it and promises to pay the current leases present. every landowner later once the venture starts making a profit. A bulldozer then clears the land, destroying trees, gar- dens, and the village water source. An angry group of vil- lagers tries to stop the bulldozer from cutting down the trees but the workers chase them off the land. When asked where the investor is, they are told he is gone and the land is being subdivided. In the quarrel, a tree falls and kills an old woman. Work stops and the chief rushes back to the scene. Realizing the mistake he has made, the chief pulls out the money he received and offers it to the villagers who shake their heads in denial. The play ends with a song about the importance of land and the need to protect it. Objectives, Format, and Content Given the sensitivities around land disputes in Vanuatu, the Workshop in Sara village. team decided to use drama as a powerful tool for communicat- ing with and educating local communities. The play’s narra- tive was developed in close collaboration with the Natantong theater. The JBE research team also took part in performing the play. Taking care not to reenact specific cases from Epi that might provoke confusion or tensions, the team developed a story portraying common problems that occur in the lease negotiation and management process throughout Vanuatu. Following the drama, the facilitator invited the partici- pants to share reflections on the story presented. In most places the chiefs spoke first by saying that what was por- trayed in the drama was very true, as chiefs are sometimes the ones who enter into deals with investors on behalf of the community. They also noted that respect for kastom is dimin- ishing and that they are finding it hard to bring people back Play scene: A tourist taking picture of local villagers to their roots. The workshops then continued with a local chief describ- ing how land is held, transferred, and used under kastom. He explained that in the past, before “white man” came to Vanu- atu, in this area the chief held the land on behalf of his tribe, allocating pieces of land to different groups to make gardens and feed their families, thereby ensuring that there was a fair distribution among tribal members. In return they would pay tribute to the chief by offering fruits from the garden as a form of rent. In the event of marriage, the daughter would leave her parents’ home to go and live with her husband’s family, but her father would reserve a piece of land for her in case she needed to come back to her island (basket blong kakae). Chief talking about “kastom” use of land in Burumba area. Epi is divided into five kastom boundaries. According to the chiefs, however, the people do not respect the boundar- ies and this is causing many land disputes. After the arrival of “white man,” the role of the chiefs in land distribution erations into account when making decisions to lease land, was undermined, with newcomers from other islands assum- especially as Epi has been marked as the next development ing chiefly responsibilities. Now, land alienation occurs as a site by Shefa province. result of land being leased by people claiming to be chiefs and custom landholders of the tribal land. The chiefs report- Attendance and Participation ed that kastom landholding principles have been weakened Attendance and participation varied from location to location and there has been a transition from “group” to “individual” and included chiefs, church leaders, and youth and women’s ownership, which is at the heart of land problems on the is- group organizers, as well as other community members. land today. The number of men attending the event was much higher The workshops continued with a presentation by the law- than the number of women. Many of the women joined the yer, who stressed the importance of group ownership over workshop in the afternoon sessions, as they were involved in land and being clear on the custom principles of landhold- preparing lunch for the participants. Women did not speak, ing—something that people on Epi know best. She men- despite being encouraged to do so by the presenters. This tioned that in the case of court proceedings, the burden of reflects many kastom attitudes toward women that often proof is on the claimant to establish his or her right to cus- prevent them from speaking at public meetings and clearly tom land ownership. The Supreme Court is concerned that demonstrates the need for targeted workshops with women’s proper parties are named in land claims (for example, all el- groups, allowing them to get a greater benefit from the legal ders representing a family or clan claiming land) in order to aid days. avoid further claims by individuals within the same family or clan. The lawyer also discussed legal provisions related to Discussion Points the rights and responsibilities of the lessor and lessee, lease The awareness materials provided at the workshop were conditions, rent reviews, and the right of forfeiture. well received and participants had numerous questions on the leases they had signed or had some interest in. The fo- The presentation by the representative of the Department cus of the awareness-building activities on addressing the of Lands focused on explaining the various steps in the leasing information gaps encountered during the research helped the process (negotiation certificate, custom ownership declaration audience members relate to the problems they are experienc- form, survey, preparation of lease agreement, registration of ing and ask for specific advice on actions they can take to leases), types of leases, valuation (determination of premium resolve them. and rent), lease transfer, sublease, and subdivision. Finally, the JBE team presented a summary of the research findings, point- There was a general feeling among the group that the ing to specific pitfalls in the lease creation and lease manage- kastom way of using land is influenced by “new opportuni- ment process. This was followed by questions from the au- ties”—that is, people selling land for cash or claiming to be dience. Participants also had the opportunity to receive legal chiefs in order to get authority over certain land areas. Re- advice on the issues they face with particular leases. spect for custom landholding and usage principles is dimin- ishing and most people felt that this is due to the changing The workshops closed with a discussion of population roles of chiefs, who are no longer coming together to pre- growth and the importance of taking the needs of future gen- serve kastom or resolve problems. particularly on those agricultural leases that were converted from preindependence titles. In these cases, participants were advised that they could serve a notice to the lessee demand- ing that he or she comply with the conditions of the lease. If no action is taken by the lessee, the lessor has the right to refer the case to the Valuer General for forfeiture. In several cases, the lessors have followed up with a lawyer to assist them in taking such actions. Concerns were also raised about the low rents being paid on leases and the role of government in controlling the rent values. Participants requested that the Department of Lands set up standard market values for cus- tom land to ensure that people get adequate benefits for the leased land. There were a number of questions on local-level dispute- resolution mechanisms. In one case, an island court deter- Lawyer providing advice to participants. mined that a specific land area belongs to a custom landhold- ing group; now, however, the chief of that area is demanding that the group lease the land from him in order to use it. The There seemed to be considerable confusion about what lawyer advised that the chief has no right to take this ac- Epi kastom is with regard to landholding and usage. A num- tion, given the group nature of custom ownership, but that ber of people sought advice on how to address problems it is a matter of the chiefs upholding the rules of kastom and they face in using land in kastom or dealing with kastom not recognizing individual claims to the land. In another in- boundaries. For example, if someone plants trees in a plot stance, the island council of chiefs reviewed a case two times that belongs to someone else, who now owns the trees—the and each time declared a different person to be the custom person who planted them or the person who holds the land? landholder. The lawyer clarified that the only possible reso- The lawyer did not provide advice on matters related to kas- lution would be to refer the case to a land tribunal that the tom but stressed to participants that no one knows their kas- Department of Lands and the Epi chiefs would need to jointly tom better than they and that the chiefs should clarify the establish. However, no such land tribunal has yet been set up custom boundaries and the kastom rules related to land use on Epi. The Supreme Court recognizes decisions made by the on Epi. island court only for claims submitted before 2001 or by the Custom Land Tribunal for claims submitted after 2001. This Advice was also sought in the case of a lease being signed points to an urgent need for the Department of Lands to set by a person who was not part of the custom landholding up a land tribunal on Epi. group. The lawyer clarified that in this situation, the lease can be challenged before the Supreme Court for fraud or mistake, in which case the Court can rectify the lease by ordering a cancellation or amendment of the lease register. In relation to this matter, representatives of the island council of chiefs stressed the importance of the council’s having a role in ap- proving every lease on the island to prevent unauthorized persons from signing custom ownership declaration forms. A number of questions concerned the fulfillment of lease conditions and lessors’ rights in relation to lessees. For exam- ple, what happens at the expiration of a lease—would custom landholders be able to get back their land? It was clarified that land returns to the hands of custom landholders with all improvements made unless a condition was included in the lease requiring that compensation for improvements be paid Department of Lands representative explaining the lease registration process. by the lessor. Participants were strongly encouraged to read carefully any agreement they are asked to sign to ensure that no such clause is inserted in the agreement.13 Another ques- 13 Research revealed that in only one out of the 23 leases studied did compensation tion involved the lack of development on the leased land— for improvement form a condition of the lease agreement. Conclusion The Epi study reaffirms the validity of the 2006 Land Sum- mit recommendations, as well as the need to focus on lease- benefit distribution and benefit-prolonging efforts. It is criti- cal that community members become empowered to make informed decisions about leasing land to improve outcomes. With the potential for generating jobs and business oppor- tunities, leasing land for development can clearly be desir- able, but it can also be disruptive and should therefore be appropriately managed to ensure that Ni-Vanuatu are able to participate in the ensuing profits. Furthermore, there remains a substantial gap between demand and action in developing strategies for custom landholders who want alternative devel- opment options to formal land leasing. JBE team member presenting research findings in Sara Village. The use of legal aid days provided a highly engaging and effective medium for the JBE team to receive feedback from Angie Bexley, Volume 5, Issue 1, June 2010 the communities and provide them with awareness of and le- • Women, State Law and Land in Peri-Urban Settle- gal advice on issues related to leasing. The use of drama in an ments on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands informal setting helped to break down barriers and stimulate by Rebecca Monson, Volume 4, Issue 3, April 2010 dialogue on sensitive issues in the community. • Expanding State, Expectant Citizens: Local Perspec- tives on Government Responsibility in Timor-Leste To have a lasting impact, it is vitally important that local by David Butterworth, Volume 4, Issue 2, February dialogues ensure the participation of all members of the com- 2010 munity. In preparation for the community workshops, JBE • Women’s Access to Land in Kenya asked for the assistance of the area secretaries and chiefs in an- by Andrew Harrington, Volume 4, Issue 1, January nouncing the legal aid days, a strategy that proved successful. 2010 The use of local radio and the arrival of a team member a day • Contracts, Land Tenure and Rural Development in or two in advance to introduce the team, clarify the objectives Timor-Leste of the workshop, and help local residents with logistics might by Rod Nixon, Volume 3, Issue 3, November 2009 help publicize the event even more widely. To make certain that • Mapping Indigenous Communal Lands: A Review of women are able to fully benefit from the dialogues, researchers the Literature from a Cambodian Perspective should allow for extra time in each location and include tar- by Daniel Adler, Jeremy Ironside and Mean Ratanak, geted discussions with women’s groups on these issues. Volume 3, Issue 2, October 2009 • Coercion to Conversion: Push and Pull Pressures on JBE will continue to explore creative dissemination tech- Custom Land in Vanuatu niques that reflect the social and cultural background of the by Justin Haccius, Volume 3, Issue 1, March 2009 intended audience to ensure that research findings are shared and discussed with local communities. Other Justice for the Poor Briefing Notes • The Lay of the Land: Land Access and Dispute Reso- lution in Timor-Leste | Tetum Version By Pamela Dale, Kristen Himelein, Denis Nikitin and Angie Bexley, Volume 5, Issue 3, June 2010 • Youth Perspectives on Community, Trust and Conflict by Pamela Dale, Kristen Himelein, Denis Nikitin and Angie Bexley, Volume 5, Issue 2, June 2010 • Trust, Authority, and Decision Making: Findings from the Extended Timor-Leste Survey of Living Standards by Pamela Dale, Kristen Himelein, Denis Nikitin and Participants in Rovo Bay Area. • Legal Aid Days as a Research Tool: Experiences from Northern Kenya by Benita Ayuko and Tanja Chopra, Volume 2, Issue 4, September 2008 • “Leh Wi Tok for Change Wi Village”: Community Dis- semination of Research Findings by Gibrill S. Jalloh and Lyttelton Braima, Volume 2, Issue 3, May 2008 • Legal Pluralism and Equity: Some Reflections on Land Reform in Cambodia by Daniel Adler, Doug Porter and Michael Woolcock, Volume 2, Issue 2, April 2008 • The Price of Tourism: Land Alienation in Vanuatu by Milena Stefanova, Volume 2, Issue 1, January 2008 • Indonesia’s Revitalization of Legal Aid (RLA) Pro- JBE team member facilitating discussion with Burumba participants. gram: Strengthening Legal Services for the Poor by Matthew Zurstrassen, Volume 1, Issue 5, Novem- ber 2007 • Barriers to Justice in Sierra Leone • Promoting Women’s Rights by Indigenous Means: An by Pamela Dale, Volume 1, Issue 4, September 2007 Innovative Project in Kenya • Informalizing the Formal: Labor Relations in Cam- by Tanja Chopra, Volume 1, Issue 2, July 2007 bodia • Working with Local Researchers by Daniel Adler, Volume 1, Issue 3, August 2007 by Ryann Manning, Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2007 What is Justice for the Poor? Justice for the Poor (J4P) is a global research and de- velopment program aimed at informing, designing, and supporting pro-poor approaches to justice reform. It is an approach to justice reform that: • Sees justice from the perspective of the poor or margin- alized • Is grounded in social and cultural contexts • Recognizes the importance of demand in building equi- table justice systems • Understands justice as a cross-sectoral issue Justice for the Poor in Timor-Leste is part of the AusAID- World Bank collaboration on the East-Asia and Pacific Justice for the Poor Initiative. This Initiative includes work in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Indonesia, as well as on regional thematic activities. Contact us at j4p@worldbank.org and visit our Web site www.worldbank.org/justiceforthepoor for further information. Justice for the Poor Briefing Notes provide up-to-date information on current topics, findings, and concerns of J4P’s multi-country research. The views expressed in the notes are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the World Bank.