Working Title: Informal Settlers, Security of Land Tenure, Livelihoods and Intervention: A Case Study from Urban Fiji

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1 Working Title: Informal Settlers, Security of Land Tenure, Livelihoods and Intervention: A Case Study from Urban Fiji Dev-Net Conference 2008 Luke Kiddle PhD candidate in Development Studies Victoria University of Wellington lukekiddle@gmail.com

2 Outline Background Key theory Key objectives Methods & case studies Some early analysis and emerging themes Challenges Questions and feedback

3 Background An urbanising Pacific & an urbanising Fiji 2007 census results show that close to 51% of Fiji s s population (approx 421,000 people) live in urban areas Growth of squatter/informal settlements Recent estimates suggest that approximately 140,000 people are living in informal settlements across the nation

4 Background ctd Growth of informal settlements Account for around 17% of the total population and around 33% of the total urban population Why? A number of combining processes including: push and pull factors but particularly the lure of enhanced educational and employment opportunities inadequate supply of affordable, low-cost housing in urban areas low wages land lease expiry

5 By way of definition A squatter: a a person who is in occupation of State, Freehold or Native land illegally or without any form of security of tenure or without any consent from the landowner But: This definition is complicated by the fact that many of those on native land are living with landowner consent through informal/vakavanua arrangements Squatter is an appropriate term for those on state or freehold land Informal settler is a better term for those on native land and as an umbrella definition What characterises both groups is insecurity of land tenure

6 Key Theory Charles Stokes suggested in 1962 that informal settlements could be gradually incorporated into more formal built environments through incremental housing improvement initiated and completed by settlers themselves John F.C Turner (1968, 1969 & 1972) advanced this general theory, introduced the expression self-help housing improvement, and argued that this could be facilitated especially if security of tenure could be provided to settlers

7 Key Theory ctd De Soto (2000) advanced a central claim that the poor in developing countries possess huge resources, but hold these resources in defective forms as dead capital that cannot be used to create wealth. In turn, he argued that formal property rights (such as titles), and the security of tenure that these property rights present, are then essential for mobilising such dead capital,, encouraging home improvement and upgrading, and obtaining formal credit including in the urban informal settlements of the developing world.

8 Key Theory ctd This general theory received widespread support from international organisations and policy makers who came to focus on titling (legalisation( legalisation) ) approaches to urban upgrading But de Soto has received considerable criticism particularly in rebutting the link between titles and access to credit. Others (eg( Geoffrey Payne) have also said that legal titles are not necessary to promote self- help housing improvement. Rather increasing de facto/perceived security of tenure is enough to promote self-help housing improvement This central claim is now underpinning leading shelter policy. However, little perceived security of tenure research has been completed in small island states/areas of dominant customary land

9 Key objectives 1. To document the experience of contemporary urbanisation and informal settlement growth in Fiji 2. To explore the dynamics of security of tenure in urban Fiji, and the relationship that this might have to self-help housing investment 3. To critically review current government, donor and NGO activity in informal settlement development

10 Methods Semi-structured, largely informal, interviews with households in informal settlements 135 interviews completed across 7 case studies Unstructured interviews with government agencies, civil society and aid donors involved in the area General observations Use of secondary data: Census results and current socio-economic surveys

11 7 Case Studies - All quite different in nature Greater Suva: Lagilagi in Jittu Estate, central Suva Caubati Top Line in Nasinu Lakena Hill 2 in Nausori Lautoka: Vunato Tomuka Ba: Tauvegavega Labasa: Bouma

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19 Case Studies ctd On State and Native land Indigenous Fijian and Indo-Fijian Various arrangements for access to land (and for payments) Active markets for housing and sometimes land Active rental market Varying quality of dwellings Vibrant informal sector

20 Perceived Security of Tenure No legal security of tenure Existence of positive perceived security of tenure (as well as negative perceived security of tenure) Perceived security of tenure seems to be influenced by a number of key variables: Category of land tenure Nature of the relationship with the landowner (for those with vakavanua arrangements) Length of residence in the community (particularly without any pressure to leave) Presence of infrastructure and utilities Prospect of government providing titles/leases Support/advocacy from external organisations/civil society Evictions from other settlements/perceptions of government policy (esp. relevant for those on state land) But: All very context specific

21 Housing Investment 62% of all respondents show evidence of incremental housing investment And for the 38% who do not, some are: Households who have very recently built new dwellings Long-term residents who have houses that are long finished Renters

22 Emerging Themes Evidence of incremental housing improvement in the absence of any legal security of tenure (but hard to be certain of exact relationships) This generally applies to owner/occupiers and those with vakavanua arrangements. But not to renters

23 Challenges Difficulties in explain/articulating security of tenure Security having a number of different meanings and being such as loaded word in the Fijian context particularly for Indo-Fijians Confusions with personal security Difficulties in clarifying land tenure

24 Summary A perceived security of tenure approach may be useful as a policy framework for Fiji It may facilitate self-help housing improvement It may present innovative options

25 From here. Reflection and full analysis of results Write up Thank you!