Housing and property restitution for refugees and displaced persons: implementing the 'Pinheiro Principles'

Over the past several decades, inter-governmental agencies, government officials, United Nations and NGO field staff and others working in protection or support capacities with refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) have become increasingly involved in efforts to secure durable and rights-based solutions to all forms of displacement based on the principle of voluntary repatriation.

This handbook's purpose is to provide all the necessary tools to assess and satisfy the displaced persons' needs to return to and re-assert of control over one’s original home, land or property, after a catastrophic event.

The basis for the present handbook is the Principles on Housing and Property Restitution for Refugees and Displaced Persons (‘Pinheiro Principles’), which were endorsed by the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights on 11 August 2005.