UN-Habitat Yemen: After 16 Years, Yemeni sisters win rightful share of family home

This story comes ahead of the resumed second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly, taking place from 29 to 30 May 2025 in Nairobi, which will feature, among others, a high-level dialogue on adequate housing for all.

When Hala Mohammad’s father passed away in 2007, he left behind a house in Yemen’s Abyan governorate. What followed was a long, difficult inheritance dispute that stretched over 16 years.

While Hala and her four sisters expected to share the property with their brothers, the brothers claimed the house for themselves – arguing that the sisters were already living with their husbands and didn’t need a share.

But those homes, Hala explains, were not theirs. “They belonged to our husbands. We had no property of our own.”

In Yemen, this situation is not uncommon. According to ACAPS, only 10 to 20 per cent of women in the country have secure land or housing tenure. Inheritance disputes, often shaped by tradition and social expectations, make it difficult for women to claim their rights.

A rapid assessment by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) found that 29 per cent of women surveyed had never claimed their inheritance, often due to social pressures or fear of backlash. Some even face threats or violence when attempting to do so – a form of gender-based violence.

For years, Hala and her sisters sought help from community leaders and neighbours. One brother had moved into the disputed house, while their mother moved between her daughters’ homes. Though there was talk of selling the house, negotiations repeatedly stalled. Social norms discouraged taking legal action against family members, and no resolution was found.

Things changed when Hala was invited to an awareness session on housing, land, and property (HLP) rights conducted by UN-Habitat’s legal team in Aden. “It helped us understand that we had legal rights – and we weren’t alone,” Hala said.

After the session, Hala and her sisters received legal counselling. Equipped with new information and confidence, they approached their uncle and the local mosque to help mediate. With growing understanding and support, their brothers eventually agreed to sell the house and share the proceeds with their sisters.

Today, the sisters and their mother are preparing to buy a new home together in Abyan – a shared space that they can call their own.

Hala’s story reflects the goals of UN-Habitat’s project “Support to Housing, Land and Property Rights for Vulnerable Communities and Improve Land Tenure Security of Women in Yemen”. Since its launch, the project has reached over 20,000 people through awareness sessions, legal advice, mediation support, and capacity-building for local authorities.

By combining community engagement with legal empowerment, the project helps strengthen tenure security for women – and supports long-term social cohesion and peacebuilding across Yemen.