Women's HLP rights
In contexts of displacement and crisis, securing women's and men's housing, land, and property (HLP) rights is essential for reducing protection risks and fostering resilience, self-reliance, and durable solutions - bridging the gap between humanitarian response and long-term development. Protecting women’s and girls’ access to land and housing helps create more inclusive and peaceful societies where gender equality is not only promoted but actively supported. Equally protecting women’s and men’s HLP rights is not just a matter of justice - it is a strategic investment in stability and lasting peace.
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by conflict and displacement, facing heightened economic hardship, violence, and exclusion from decision-making. These challenges are often compounded by pre-existing discriminatory social norms, and legal and practical barriers that restrict their ability to claim and enjoy HLP rights. Women also have different experiences of HLP rights in return situations, as they are less likely than men to possess HLP documentary evidence and more are vulnerable to violence related to land disputes.
However, women should not be seen solely as victims. They play a crucial role in humanitarian response, post-conflict reconstruction, and peacebuilding. Securing their HLP rights is key to empowering them to manage the economic and social impacts of displacement and conflict, particularly as demographic shifts during conflicts lead to an increase in female-headed households.
Secure HLP rights enhance women’s and girls’ physical and psychological safety, protecting them from gender-based violence, forced eviction, exploitation, and extreme weather. Economic independence is closely tied to land and property rights, especially for displaced and returnee women who are widowed, separated, disabled, or illiterate - many of whom lack support networks. For these women, HLP may be their only economic asset. With secure tenure, they can access financial services, invest in livelihoods, and sustain their families. Women with secure HLP rights are therefore better equipped to provide for their families, mitigating the need for harmful coping mechanisms such as forced marriage or sale of sex. This autonomy also enables them to exit abusive relationships, make informed choices, and contribute meaningfully to rebuilding their communities.
Addressing gender-specific disparities in HLP rights requires urgent and coordinated action. Legal and administrative barriers must be removed to allow displaced women and men to use, rent, or own property. Clear and fair HLP agreements should be promoted, alongside the reissuance of civil and HLP documentation to support durable solutions. Legal counseling on HLP and civil documentation is essential, as is collecting gender-disaggregated data to address women’s challenges. Establishing grassroots information centers and complaint mechanisms can help women understand and claim their HLP rights. Local associations and community leaders should be engaged to mitigate threats of violence against women asserting their HLP rights.
Women must be empowered to participate in land management and HLP rights discussions, including negotiations, dispute resolution, and restitution processes. Their involvement in peace agreements and land commissions paves the way for legal and institutional reforms in recovery and reconstruction efforts. To further support long-term conflict prevention and recovery, laws and practices should be reviewed to protect women’s HLP rights. Key areas include eliminating gender-discriminatory inheritance and personal laws, promoting written marital contracts detailing property regimes, and removing impediments to women’s access to land administration, financial services, and dispute resolution mechanism. Legal and administrative reforms must integrate a gender-sensitive approach to ensure women’s equal access and participation.
To support these efforts, the HLP AoR has compiled a list of resources to help you develop effective responses informed by emerging global best practices. These resources are regularly updated - please contact the HLP AoR Coordinators for inquiries or to contribute new materials. Additional global resources and regional resources can be found on:
- NRC’s displaced women’s HLP rights page,
- UN-Habitat and the Global Land Tool Networks gender and land tools page,
- Arab Land Initiative Women’s land rights page and the regional Women and Land Campaign page.
