In January 2025, the report highlights housing, land, and property (HLP) issues impacting forced displacement in Central Sahel. In 2024, significant violations of property rights were reported, leading to heightened shelter needs among displaced persons. Enhanced cooperation among humanitarian, development, and peace practitioners is necessary to address these complexities and improve community resilience.
In January 2025, the focus is on the housing, land, and property (HLP) issues affecting forced displacement in the Central Sahel region, specifically Burkina Faso, Mali, and Western Niger. Reports from 2024 indicated that two-fifths of protection incidents documented by communities involved violations of property rights. HLP issues, such as extortion and looting, have become a significant concern, often resulting in families fleeing their homes and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the area.
Data revealed that forcibly displaced persons have approximately double the shelter needs compared to host communities. Furthermore, half of those surveyed from both displaced and host groups recognized construction and rehabilitation as their primary housing requirement. This indicates a pressing structural need to address the pervasive HLP issues in the Central Sahel.
The influx of displaced persons places additional pressure on services, resource access, and employment opportunities in semi-urban arrival areas. As a result, the pre-existing challenges surrounding HLP are worsened, leading to increased tenure insecurity and the risk of forced evictions. The complexities surrounding land management—shaped by both customary and legal norms—present substantial obstacles to humanitarian assistance efforts.
Moreover, 65% of access to land in the Central Sahel has been achieved through donations, demonstrating the predominant reliance on this mechanism. HLP issues, when addressed positively, may also encourage the willingness of displaced persons to return voluntarily or integrate into local communities. A holistic approach is necessary, demanding enhanced cooperation among humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding actors to effectively tackle these multifaceted challenges.
The report underscores the critical need to address housing, land, and property issues to mitigate the impacts of forced displacement in the Central Sahel. With heightened shelter needs among displaced populations and persistent vulnerabilities, a multi-faceted strategy involving various stakeholders is essential for achieving durable solutions. By enhancing cooperation and addressing land rights, communities may more effectively manage displacement challenges and foster sustainable development.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
