Addressing Housing, Land, and Property Issues in the Central Sahel

HLP issues are critical in the Central Sahel, with 40% of protection incidents indicating property rights violations and high shelter needs among forcibly displaced persons. These challenges exacerbate tensions and necessitate comprehensive approaches to land management and secure access to housing. Cooperation among humanitarian, development, and peace practitioners is essential to address these urgent issues effectively.

In 2024, two-fifths of monthly protection incidents reported by communities indicated violations of property rights, with the same proportion identifying housing, land, and property (HLP) issues as a significant cause of inter-community tensions. These conflict-related HLP concerns manifest as extortion, theft, looting, destruction, seizure, and confiscation of property, endangering the safety of civilians in the Central Sahel region and prompting many families to escape their homes.

The situation has led to a notable discrepancy in shelter needs; forcibly displaced individuals express shelter requirements that are double those of host communities. Approximately fifty percent of surveyed displaced and host communities identified construction or rehabilitation as their primary housing need. This emphasizes the structural nature of HLP problems in the Central Sahel during crises.

Forced displacement increases the strain on service provision, resource accessibility, and employment opportunities within semi-urban areas where displaced populations settle. This exacerbates existing HLP challenges and heightens tenure insecurity, alongside the risk of forced evictions due to overlapping customary and legal land claims. Addressing land management is crucial for effective intervention, especially when planning for shelter or agricultural initiatives that depend on secure land access.

Data indicates that donations remain the principal means of acquiring land in the Central Sahel, with sixty-five percent of the surveyed population relying on this method. Notably, communities have cited HLP issues as a positive influence on their willingness to voluntarily return or integrate with local host communities. This intersection of land rights, emergency shelter needs, and peacebuilding necessitates enhanced cooperation among humanitarian, development, and peace practitioners, ensuring synergistic actions.

Addressing HLP issues is paramount for establishing durable solutions to forced displacement in the Central Sahel. The ongoing violations of property rights and the escalating shelter needs underscore the urgency of comprehensive interventions in land management and cooperation among stakeholders. Effective strategies must address HLP challenges to facilitate sustainable peace and stability in the region.

In summary, HLP issues represent a critical challenge in the Central Sahel, directly impacting forced displacement and community tensions. There is a pressing need for coherent strategies that integrate humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts to effectively address these challenges. Enhanced cooperation, secure land management, and targeted assistance are essential to improving conditions for displaced and host communities alike, ultimately fostering stability and peace in the region.

Original Source: reliefweb.int