Reclaiming the Foundation: Why Tenure Security Must Return to the Global Development Agenda

Editorial — At LPN Global, we believe that tenure security and housing, land, and property (HLP) rights are not fringe issues — they are foundational enablers of sustainable development. Yet, despite overwhelming evidence of their impact, these issues are increasingly deprioritised by multilateral institutions, international organisations, and other agenda-setting bodies.

A high-level panel discussion on land tenure reform was among was among the highlights of the 2025 World Bank Land Conference. The panel comprised government officials and leaders from Brazil, Cameroon, Cote D'Ivoire, India, Nigeria, Paraguay, and Tanzania. (Photo: World Bank Group)

This trend is more than a case of poor traction. When an issue that underpins everything from food security and climate resilience to gender equality and peace-building slips off the agenda, it signals a deep systemic gap in understanding and strategy — one we must urgently close.

We are hereby calling for a global programme of action: a coordinated, evidence-based, and politically-supported movement to place land rights and tenure security at the heart of global development planning and investment.

This is not about adding a new problem to the list — it is about removing a persistent barrier to progress across the entire development spectrum.

The Pervasiveness of the Challenge

Despite progress in some areas, the global tenure security landscape remains deeply unequal and unstable:

• According to the World Bank, more than 70% of land in developing countries is unregistered or undocumented, leaving individuals, communities, and businesses without legal protection or formal recognition.

• In sub-Saharan Africa, an estimated 90% of rural land is held under informal or customary arrangements — with only 10% formally documented (FAO).

• Women, who produce more than half of the world's food, own less than 20% of the land globally and often lack secure inheritance or land use rights (UN-Habitat/GLTN).

• A joint GLTN–UN-Habitat report underscores that tenure insecurity disproportionately affects internally displaced people, refugees, and urban poor communities, compounding their vulnerability and marginalisation.

This map illustrates estimated levels of land tenure insecurity by region—based on global trends reported by the World Bank, UN-Habitat/GLTN, and the FAO. Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia exhibit the highest rates of undocumented land, while formal registration systems are more established in Europe and North America. (Sources: World Bank, UN-Habitat/GLTN, FAO, RICS)

And yet, many development interventions — from agricultural productivity initiatives to renewable energy projects, from climate mitigation efforts to urban upgrading — proceed without secure land rights as a precondition. This omission threatens the sustainability, equity, and long-term impact of these very interventions.

A Three-Part Agenda for Action

To address this, LPN Global proposes a three-part programme of action to reposition land rights at the centre of the global development agenda.

1. Clarify the Case: Ground the Conversation in Data and Evidence

The first step is to make the case un-ignorable — with data that illustrates the impact of secure land rights on key development outcomes.

• Countries that improve tenure security see increased investment, agricultural yields, and climate resilience.

• Securing women’s land rights is directly linked to better household nutrition, children's education, and community health.

• In post-conflict settings, formalising land rights is a cornerstone of reconciliation, stability, and return of displaced populations.

This evidence exists — but it is fragmented, largely inaccessible, and too often fails to reach policymakers and financial decision-makers in ways that inform funding flows or programme design.

LPN Global is committed to strengthening the knowledge base and bridging the data gap, working with research partners to consolidate, communicate, and translate land tenure evidence into actionable insights.

2. Reframe the Narrative: Position Land Rights as a Catalyst, Not a Competitor

Land and property rights must not be seen as "yet another" issue competing for attention. Instead, we must reframe them as catalysts for accelerating progress across existing development priorities.

• Climate Action? You can’t plant trees or preserve ecosystems on land people are afraid to lose.

• Food Security? Farmers invest in productivity only when they have secure rights.

• Gender Equality? Land access and control are fundamental to women’s economic empowerment.

• Private Sector Growth? Investment doesn’t flow where land rights are ambiguous or contested.

• Urban Resilience? Informal settlements can’t be upgraded without resolving tenure questions.

We must challenge the false dichotomy between addressing tenure issues and advancing “big ticket” development themes. They are interlinked — and must be tackled as such.

3. Strengthen Collective Action: Build a Movement, Not Just a Message

Finally, we need a new generation of collaborative, government-led land programmes — designed and delivered in partnership with local communities, civil society, academia, and the private sector.

This requires:

• Political will at the national level, supported by international partners who understand the strategic value of tenure security;

• Flexible, multi-year financing for locally-led documentation and certification efforts;

• Capacity development for institutions responsible for land administration, mapping, dispute resolution, and legal reform;

• And perhaps most importantly, coordination across sectors and donors, to ensure that land issues are not siloed, but embedded into everything from housing programmes to green energy investments.

LPN Global stands ready to support and amplify this movement. Through our global network, knowledge platform, and partnerships with grassroots initiatives, we are working to elevate local voices, scale best practices, and mobilize the funding and political commitment needed to shift the tide.

Conclusion: Let’s Get Serious About Foundations

Global development cannot succeed if it is built on insecure foundations. When people live with the constant threat of eviction, exclusion, or dispossession — progress stalls. Investments falter. Rights are violated. Lives are disrupted.

Securing land and property rights is not a side issue. It is the foundation upon which lasting development is built.

If we are serious about food security, gender equality, climate resilience, peace-building, and inclusive growth, we must be serious about land rights.

At LPN Global, we are committed to helping drive this shift. We hereby call on governments, development agencies, philanthropies, private investors, and civil society leaders to join us in establishing and catalysing a new global programme of action — one that recognises land not just as a commodity or legal concept, but as a cornerstone of human dignity, prosperity, and progress.

Let us take this agenda forward — together.