This report presents the findings from a survey of land-related disputes in urban and peri-urban areas of South Sudan. From November to December 2016, the South Sudan Law Society (SSLS), in partnership with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and the State Land Alliances (SLA), interviewed 942 individuals in ten locations across the country. Findings from this study demonstrate that land-related disputes in urban environments are widespread, becoming increasingly difficult to resolve, and are re-enforcing demand for individually-held property
registered with the state. In turn, growing demand for exclusive access to and control over holdings has amplified the stakes of housing, land, and property (HLP) disputes, as individuals and communities with different ties to customary and statutory authorities strive to entrench
their rights. Although the Land Act, Draft National Land Policy, and key sections of the ARCISS Peace Agreement provide a foundation for land governance, a complete lack of implementation has resulted in an on-going legal vacuum which continues to undermine tenure security.
Beyond exacerbating relations within and between households and communities, the inability to implement government-led reforms dramatically reduces the potential for large-scale sustainable returns of displaced populations, and undermines both livelihood security and
economic development.