Land rights in conflict and post-conflict contexts are an increasing area of concern. Conflict often causes dramatic changes to a country’s land tenure regime and administration, threatening land rights even after the conflict has ended. Women, internally displaced people (IDPs), returning refugees, migrants and farm labourers are especially vulnerable.

Reasons for this include:

  • unclear land titling procedures;
  • destroyed land records, either deliberately or accidentally;
  • an inadequate state capacity to respond to a mass return of IDPs and refugees;
  • a lack of, or ineffective programmes to inform people about land rights;
  • an increased demand for arable land;
  • the complex, time-consuming and expensive nature of the private registration of land tenure;
  • gender inequalities in land rights.

Secure land rights are, therefore, a critical issue when it comes to humanitarian response, sustainable peace-building and longer-term economic recovery, particularly in countries where a significant proportion of the population relies on agriculture as their main source of livelihood. The situation can be even more complex in mine-affected countries, as mine/ERW contamination may cause land to be inaccessible for decades.

To ensure that mine action organisations can better address land issues as part of their programming, the GICHD publishes practical research and tools on the issue, and is collaborating with UN-HABITAT to provide practical support to mine action and armed violence reduction organisations on how to address land issues in a conflict-sensitive manner.

This support includes:

  • support and assessment, including a technical assessment of land issues;
  • training for field staff;
  • a review of the standard operating procedures and the national standards;
  • raising donor awareness.

For further information, please contact

Sharmala Naidoo