Supporting refugees and internally displaced people with housing, land and property

Context

As a result of the civil war in Syria, almost half the population are internally displaced or have fled their homes. In addition, more than 30 per cent of the country’s housing is damaged or destroyed.

Even before the conflict, Syria’s land management system was complex due to unclear legislation and informal agreements. There are more than 80 additional laws on housing, land and property rights, making the situation for displaced people even more complicated. Most do not have legally recognised documents, which can make it hard to restore their rights to housing, land and property.

Objective

The rights of displaced people are safeguarded, facilitating access to secure housing and land ownership.

Approach

The project operates in four areas:

1. Together with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the project works to safeguard documents pertaining to housing, land and property rights. Documents are to be stored in order to restore rights and facilitate any future compensation or restitution.
2. In cooperation with non-governmental organisations and Syrian civil society initiatives, refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq receive information, advice and legal assistance. This supports them in meeting requirements under housing, land and property law and obtaining official documents for their claims.
3. The project works with Syrian civil society initiatives and legal experts to raise awareness among the international community and inform displaced Syrians about their rights.
4. It is also developing a web platform to store data, research findings and media. This information documents how the rights of displaced people are being infringed in key Syrian cities.

Last update: May 2025