How land rights and community dialogue are empowering displaced Iraqis
In Iraq’s Bzaibiz informal settlements, displaced families are reclaiming stability through gardening, secure land rights and community-led conflict resolution. DRC’s integrated approach combines permaculture, HLP mainstreaming, and inclusive mediation, planting seeds of resilience, cooperation and lasting peace.
Sara Hamid Salim, DRC Iraq
Posted on 05 May 2025
More than six years after the territorial defeat of the so-called Islamic State (IS), Iraq’s recovery remains unfinished. Political instability, economic decline, and insecurity continue to deepen protection risks, particularly for over one million people still displaced by the 2014–2017 conflict. For them, the road home is blocked by far more than distance, but also the lack of civil documentation, tenure insecurity, unresolved land disputes and HLP documentation remain some of the major obstacles to rebuilding their lives.
In the district of Ameriat Al Fallujah (AAF), around 1,600 displaced families from Jurf Al-Sakhar (80 kilometres away in Babil Governorate) have lived in limbo since fleeing the violence over a decade ago. They initially settled across 14 sites in the Bzaibiz area, 10 of which operated as formal camps until 2018. As a result of the government’s camp closure policy, families were urged to return, but security concerns made return impossible. Jurf Al-Sakhar remains under the control of military forces and off-limits to civilians.
Over time, the formal camps turned into informal settlements. The Bzaibiz floating bridge, the only route for displaced people to reach Baghdad, came under tight military control, with arbitrary detentions reported. In late 2017, several IDPs were detained on suspicion of posing security threats and were only released following tribal and government intervention.
Tensions between displaced families and the host community deepened as infrastructure buckled. Scarce livelihood opportunities, overloaded utilities, and inadequate waste management created additional stress. Water scarcity became critical. Local farmers diverted water for irrigation, significantly reducing the water flow necessary for public infrastructure. This decrease in flow caused sediment buildup, increased concentrations of pollutants and placed mechanical strain on treatment units designed for higher capacities, further damaging the units that the underfunded water directorate was already struggling to maintain - leaving both IDPs and host residents with limited access to safe water.
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Change through livelihoods
Amid these conditions, DRC’s Economic Recovery team launched a project aimed at revitalising livelihoods through permaculture. The approach was interactive and hands-on. Participants attended workshops and group discussions, learned permagardening techniques, and were given the tools, materials, and support needed to create small gardens around their homes.
These gardens offered food, income and a chance for families to reclaim agency, purpose, and stability. But for those living in informal settlements, the act of planting something permanent on land without clear ownership raised critical questions.
Why land rights matter
To protect participants and the success of the project, DRC embedded Housing, Land and Property (HLP) mainstreaming throughout the programme. Before any garden bed was dug, DRC conducted due diligence assessments to map out who had rights to the land, who used it, and what agreements—formal or informal—existed.
These assessments involved landowners, local authorities, tribal leaders, and the displaced themselves. The goal was to understand tenure dynamics, minimise risk, and ensure community buy-in.
Where needed, DRC also helped secure agreements that allowed displaced households to legally remain on and use the land during the project. By strengthening tenure security, these efforts reduced the risk of eviction, encouraged investment in the land, and laid a foundation for longer-term recovery.
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Resolving disputes through dialogue
Securing land was not enough. In displacement settings, disputes over land use, boundaries, and ownership can be frequent and volatile. That is why the project also introduced Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR); a non-judicial method of resolving conflicts that is cost-effective, participatory, and culturally grounded.
Mediation, a form of ADR, involves settling differences through dialogue and compromise, aiming to restore relationships and prevent harm. It spares parties the cost and time of lengthy court proceedings and ensures solutions are informed by community values.
In Bzaibiz, DRC supported mediation as key method to address disputes over land and property. This aimed to build a system communities could own. Twenty community mediators, including both women and men, were trained in advanced conflict resolution tools, creating a local resource that could continue resolving disputes well beyond the project’s lifetime.
These mediators hosted safe, inclusive spaces for open dialogue. They helped parties understand each other’s needs and reach fair agreements, further reinforcing trust and social cohesion across lines of displacement and host community.
Livelihoods, land and lasting peace
This project is a collection of activities which can demonstrate what happens when humanitarian programmes address not just symptoms, but root causes.
Economic recovery gave families the opportunity to invest in their future. HLP mainstreaming ensured those investments were protected. Mediation gave communities the power to resolve tensions peacefully.
By integrating these components, DRC supported survival and helped build a foundation for recovery grounded in dignity, rights and community resilience.
