SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties concluded a two-day comprehensive workshop (24–25 November) in Taiz, focusing on the challenges and opportunities related to evacuating public and private buildings that were seized or damaged during the conflict, with the aim of returning them to their rightful owners.

The workshop was held in partnership with Abductees' Mothers Association, under the framework of the project “Supporting Peace through Accountability, Reconciliation, and Knowledge Exchange – #SPARK, funded by DT. Institute, and brought together key participants, including representatives from local authorities, judicial, security, and military bodies, civil society organizations, lawyers, and affected property owners.

Discussions focused on the complex issues surrounding war-damaged homes and displacement. Several affected individuals shared powerful testimonies about their current situations and called for urgent and practical solutions to restore their properties. Participants also examined the official procedures in place, the widespread social and economic impacts of the ongoing problem, and the legal and logistical obstacles hindering the implementation of eviction orders.

In a related session, the committee responsible for monitoring housing cases in Taiz presented its recent field efforts, emphasizing its continued work to return properties to their owners. The committee noted that these efforts have already resulted in the delivery of several houses and apartments since the project’s inception, and stressed its commitment to completing all pending cases to ensure that all rights are restored.

The workshop concluded with a set of key recommendations aimed at accelerating the process and resolving accumulated cases. These included: speeding up the handover of houses subject to eviction orders, regularly collecting and updating data on all pending cases, and coordinating with judicial and security authorities to ensure faster and more efficient case handling—meeting the needs of affected individuals and safeguarding their rights.

SAM Organization hopes these recommendations will help activate both official and community roles in addressing this urgent humanitarian and legal issue in Taiz.