Join the webinar! Land and Conflict in the Arab Region: Advancing Housing, Land and Property Rights of Displaced Persons
The Arab region is facing unprecedented challenges, with millions displaced due to conflict, destruction of housing, and loss of housing, land, and property (HLP) rights. As a result, the region currently hosts over 30 million displaced persons (IDPs), including over 11 million refugees under UNHCR and UNRWA mandates.
Among some of the most pressing crises, in Gaza, nearly 90 per cent of the population, approximately 1.9 million people – according UNRWA, have been displaced, many of them multiple times, and over 92 per cent of Gaza’s housing stock has reportedly been damaged or destroyed according OCHA. In Syria, displacement remains among the most protracted and complex crises globally. As of early 2025, 13.4 million Syrians were forcibly displaced, according to UNHCR. The destruction of housing due to conflict has been staggering, with an estimated 30 per cent of Syria’s housing stock damaged or destroyed. In Iraq, significant challenges persist in achieving durable solutions for displaced populations. As of 2025, the country still hosts over one million IDPs, many of whom face protracted displacement due to unresolved HLP issues, including widespread housing destruction, lack of documentation, and disputes over land ownership continue to hinder return and reintegration. These crises are unfolding in a region increasingly challenged by the growing impacts of climate change, the depletion of natural resources, rapid urbanization, and persistent inequalities.
These interlinked crises highlight the urgent need for coordinated conflict-sensitive approaches to land governance across the Arab region. Securing the HLP rights of displaced people and returnees is critical for promoting recovery, stability, peace and for achieving durable solutions.
On 9 September 2025 at 2:00 PM CET / 3:00 PM EAT, the Arab Land Initiative and UN-Habitat, in partnership with the Netherlands Enterprise and Development Agency (RVO), will host a one-hour webinar to share experiences, achievements, and lessons learned from HLP interventions in conflict-affected contexts in the Arab region.
The Arab Group for the Protection of Nature will open the discussions with insights on how land-related conflicts are impacting the region’s stability and development, then participants will hear from experts and practitioners on two projects:
Policy Dialogue on Legislative Reform in Iraq to improve land governance and secure tenure rights for IDPs and returnees in Ninewa Governorate, with a focus on Sinjar.
Safeguarding Evidence of Housing, Land and Property Rights of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon and Iraq by documenting HLP claims to residential and non-residential properties in Syria.
This is an opportunity to engage with national, regional and global actors, learn from successful approaches, and contribute to shaping solutions for durable peace and recovery in the Arab region.
🔗 Register here: [Registration Link]
English/Arabic interpretation will be available.
For more information on the webinar and on the projects that will be presented, please download the webinar concept note below and consult the e-library collecting key publications from UN-Habitat, GLTN, the Arab Land Initiative and their partners, RVO, the HLP AoR, NRC and Land Portal on land and conflict and the protection of HLP rights of displaced persons.