Improving Land Governance in Jordan: Towards Sustainable Development and Urbanization
Jordan’s land resources are critical for its socio-economic development and sustainable urbanization, yet they face great pressure due to rapid population growth, urban sprawl, land degradation, desertification, and the additional strain caused by a significant influx of refugees. These challenges have impacted water availability, ecosystems, and access to affordable housing and public services, highlighting the urgent need for improved and sustainable land management and governance systems. While the Jordanian government has made significant progress over the past decades to address these issues, gaps remain in the legal and institutional frameworks and their effective implementation.
To advance solutions, UN-Habitat and the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN), through the Arab Land Initiative, organized a three-day event 19-21 November 2024 in Amman, Jordan. This included a two-day capacity development workshop and a final session dedicated to presenting and discussing the findings from UN-Habitat and GLTN report “Land, Housing and Property in Jordan: A Review of the Legal, Institutional, and Administrative Frameworks” and the preliminary insights from the UN-Habitat “Assessment on the Housing Sector in Jordan”.
Bringing together 45 participants from government agencies, NGOs, civil society organizations, and academia, the event facilitated meaningful discussions and the exchange of knowledge and best practices among stakeholders. Participants explored pathways for improving land governance, gaining insights into Jordan’s land administration systems - and related critical cross-cutting issues such as land degradation and the housing, land, and property rights of women, displaced people and other vulnerable groups. International and regional best practices documented by the Arab Land Initiative, UN-Habitat and GLTN and their partners were shared to provide relevant lessons adaptable to Jordan's context.
Interactive group discussions identified three critical areas for advancing land governance in Jordan: land for adequate housing and rental market solutions, land-based financing mechanisms, and land for food security. Participants collaborated to identify priorities and propose actionable recommendations. Moving forward, the findings and outcomes from the event will inform UN-Habitat’s continued engagement in Jordan’s land sector, contributing to improved land administration, affordable housing solutions, and sustainable land use.
The event underscores UN-Habitat commitment to advancing land governance and sustainable development in Jordan and across the Arab region, while the Arab Land Initiative continues to serve as a key platform for addressing land-related challenges and fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders.
The presentations and publications shared during the training event are available for download below.