Iraq has grappled with housing, land, and property (HLP) challenges for decades, exacerbated by periods of conflict, including the turmoil caused by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) between 2014 and 2017. These challenges have been particularly acute in regions like Sinjar. The aftermath of the conflict has left deep scars, with over 6 million Iraqis displaced, including approximately 250,000 in the Sinjar district of Ninewa Governorate, Iraq, alone. While some progress has been made with the return of around 4.8 million individuals, many challenges persist, especially in areas such as Mosul, Sinjar, and Al-Ba’aj.

The landscape of HLP governance in Iraq reflects some challenges, characterised by displacement, land seizures, and violations of property rights, especially to the vulnerable. Despite the country’s formal legal framework, which includes laws on land and property registration, implementation remains weak due to several hardships, such as institutional capacity constraints. Moreover, overlapping and conflicting legal frameworks, coupled with competing claims over land ownership and use, have further complicated matters, limiting access to justice for individuals and communities seeking to resolve disputes.

Since 2023, HiiL has been working in Iraq to address the justice challenges faced by forcibly displaced populations. In partnership with UNHCR, we conducted a Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) study that became the cornerstone of our program, revealing the extent of legal challenges faced by forcibly displaced individuals and host communities in Iraq. Numbers give a glimpse into the severity:

• Over 50% of the interviewed individuals experienced one or more significant legal issues within the last four years.
• Only 15% of IDPs’ problems are entirely or partially resolved.
• 22% of refugees’ problems are perceived as completely or partially resolved.
• At a broader social level, tens of thousands of legal problems occur in the lives of already vulnerable individuals and communities.

The same year, in partnership with UN-Habibtat, HiiL secured funding from The Netherlands Entreprise Agency (RVO) to focus on strengthening grassroots organisations to better support displaced communities in securing the HLP rights that affect their daily lives. Our approach is built on the insight that many small-scale initiatives already addressing HLP issues in Iraq hold significant potential for growth but face barriers like limited resources and expertise. HiiL leveraged its proven human-centred methodology to help these initiatives scale sustainably and effectively. As such, promising existing initiatives addressing HLP received training, coaching and funding to scale their work in their communities: 

• Dak Organization – حقّي في الامتلاك: Raised awareness, built the capacity of lawyers and ensured an efficient referral pathway where female survivors can receive adequate legal services for their HLP issues.
• Mosul Space – Digital Justice: Offered AI-driven legal information to Sinjar residents on HLP matters.
• Legal Oasis Initiative: Delivered mobile legal clinics to assist displaced communities with property claims by offering them legal consultation where they are.
•  حق الوصول الى المعلومة – Right to Information: Simplified Iraqi compensation laws and housing, land, and property (HLP) issues relevant to Sinjar, making them clear and easy to understand for users from diverse backgrounds.