In 2024, Central Sahel experienced significant housing, land, and property (HLP) issues leading to forced displacement and community tensions. Two-fifths of reported protection incidents involved property violations. Displaced individuals expressed higher shelter needs than host communities, emphasizing the urgency for effective land management and cooperation among humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts to address these multifaceted challenges.
In 2024, communities in the Central Sahel reported that two-fifths of protection incidents involved violations of property rights, which also served as a root cause of inter-community tensions. These incidents include extortion, looting, and the destruction or confiscation of personal property, resulting in significant risks for civilians. HLP-related issues frequently force families to flee, exacerbating the situation for forcibly displaced persons, who reported shelter needs twice as high as those of host communities.
Half of the surveyed communities identified construction and rehabilitation of housing as their most urgent need, indicating structural HLP challenges. The influx of displaced individuals into semi-urban areas increases pressure on services, access to resources, and employment. This situation deteriorates existing HLP conditions and increases risks of eviction, particularly where land rights are governed by conflicting legal and customary norms.
Effective land management is crucial for providing any substantial assistance, such as shelter installations or agricultural initiatives, which depend on secure access to land. Notably, donations remained the primary source of land access, reported by 65% of communities surveyed. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between HLP conditions and the willingness of displaced individuals to return or integrate into local communities.
Given the interconnected nature of land rights, emergency needs, and infrastructural deficiencies, collaboration among humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding sectors is vital to address HLP issues comprehensively. Enhanced cooperation can lead to durable solutions for these interlinked challenges in housing, land, and property management across the Central Sahel.
In summary, HLP issues in the Central Sahel are critical factors contributing to forced displacement and community tensions. The significant shelter needs of displaced persons highlight the urgency for effective land management and the necessity for collaboration across sectors. Addressing these challenges through coherent and cooperative strategies can improve outcomes for affected communities in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
