Syria Enforcing property rights

    Fourteen years of civil war have left thousands of homes in ruins. Together with uncertain Housing, Land and Property rights (HLP), this is making it even more difficult for Syrian refugees to return home. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of Syrians have either lost their homes or been dispossessed. Some 30 per cent of all homes have been destroyed or damaged in the civil war. The precarious housing situation was exacerbated in February 2023 by a huge earthquake that damaged and destroyed extensive areas of residential property in the north-eastern parts of Syria.

    Even before the civil war, HLP rights were unclear and administration of these rights was often an informal affair. The loss of documentation, often as a result of having to flee, means that many Syrians now face difficulties in proving property ownership. Existing HLP rights of internally displaced Syrians and of members of the Syrian diaspora were knowingly undermined by the Assad regime.

    The BMZ is engaged in efforts to put in place the conditions necessary for numerous Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons to be able to enforce their Housing, Land and Property rights when they return home following the fall of the Assad regime. Ever since 2017, the BMZ has been supporting the work of civil society and international organisations involved in systematically archiving and securing HLP documents. In addition, these organisations offer courses for Syrians, to train them in documenting HLP claims and people’s civil status.


    As at: 10/01/2025