This set of key messages on “Empowering and Improving the Life of Women by Protecting their Land, Housing and Property Rights in the Arab Region” was developed based on the field experience of UN-Habitat and Global Land Tool Network’s partners in the region.

The messages are a quick reference on how to empower women, improve their lives, and ensure that they are better able to play their role in advancing social and economic development and peace in their communities, for the benefit of themselves, their families and the society as a whole.
The messages are relevant for the different categories of women and girls.


The Arab region is home to 50 million people who need humanitarian assistance, including nearly 14 million forcibly displaced (OCHA June 2020). More than half are women. Their pre-existing vulnerabilities have been exacerbated by conflicts, displacement, and the breaking down of family, community, and institutional support systems. In such contexts, upholding women’s housing, land and property rights significantly contributes to women’s protection and to their ability to overcome the circumstances and rebuild their lives and societies out of crisis. Increased and coordinated efforts must reach as many women as possible in a timely and effective manner.

Securing women’s land and property rights is fundamental for the realization of human rights and for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015), as they contribute to poverty reduction (SDG1) and women empowerment (SDG5). Multiple targets of the SDGs are linked to women’s tenure rights, particularly to the need of all, women and men, for ownership and control over land and other form of property (target 1.4); and the need for gender-equal access to resources and ownership and control over land (Target 5a). The non-exhaustive list of SDGs, targets and indicators outlined below takes in consideration the main goals relating to the advancement and protection of women’s land and property rights. Additional relevant goals can be identified due to complexity of the related dynamics.