Global Journal of Science Frontier Research, H: Environment & Earth Science, Volume 23 Issue 1

© 2023. Nyongkaa, K. Kaspa. This research/review article is distributed under the terms of the Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). You must give appropriate credit to authors and reference this article if parts of the article are reproduced in any manner. Applicable licensing terms are at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc- nd/4.0/. Global Journal of Science Frontier Research: H Environment & Earth Science Volume 23 Issue 1 Version 1.0 Year 2023 Type: Double Blind Peer Reviewed International Research Journal Publisher: Global Journals Online ISSN: 2249-4626 & Print ISSN: 0975-5896 The Decentralization Paradigm: Pathway for Communities’ Rights to Land in Cameroon By Nyongkaa, K. Kaspa University of Yaoundé II Abstract- The devolution of power and resources by the State to local authorities much en vogue today in Cameroon and other areas of the world is fast becoming a governance model which could be relied upon for the assertion and articulation of communities based land management and ownership rights. This is so given that the advantages of bringing local communities to the decision-making centres to determine the fate of local lands and resource ownership and control can hardly be exhaustive in any single legal debate. Besides, it might be key to determining communities’ rights, while enhancing the dignity of its members. After all, communities’ lands are not only owned by a single generation, but by those considered as ancestors, the living and those yet to be born. To this effect, an attempt to weave the pieces of national land legislations within the decentralization paradigm arguably remains ideal in articulating efficient land governance. Keywords: communities’ lands, decentralization, communities’ rights, land ownership and land management. GJSFR-H Classification: TheDecentralizationParadigmPathwayforCommunitiesRightstoLandinCameroon Strictly as per the compliance and regulations of: DDC Code: 342.9406 LCC Code: KU2450