The International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) has released its latest publication, Advancing Women’s Land Rights: A Call to Action through Ten Commitments for Surveyors and Other Land Professionals, offering a timely and practical framework to strengthen gender equality in land governance. The report underscores the critical role of surveyors and land professionals in ensuring that women’s land rights are not only recognized in legal frameworks but are also effectively implemented in practice.

Contributions from the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) and the Arab Land Initiative, written by Hellen Ndung’u and Eleonora Serpi, illustrate how these initiatives advance women’s land rights through practical, context-specific interventions. Their work highlights the importance of addressing structural inequalities, including legal constraints and social norms that continue to limit women’s access to land.

At the global level, the work of UN‑Habitat and the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) is central to advancing this agenda. GLTN has long promoted pro-poor and gender-responsive land tools, supporting countries in developing inclusive land administration systems that secure tenure for all. Through its partnerships, GLTN helps bridge the gap between global commitments and on-the-ground implementation, ensuring that women’s land rights are integrated into policy processes, land tools, and capacity development initiatives.

The Arab Land Initiative brought its regional expertise to improving land governance across the Arab region. Its contribution to the report highlights:

The promotion of regional advocacy and awareness campaigns;

strengthening the country-level engagement in Lebanon, Tunisia, and Libya;

the facilitation of research, knowledge sharing, and capacity development;

and the support provided to countries facing complex challenges, including fragility and displacement.

The publication underscores that securing women’s land rights requires a holistic approach, combining technical solutions with social and institutional change. By linking global frameworks such as GLTN with regional action through the Arab Land Initiative.

Ultimately, the report calls on land professionals to take concrete action—through ten commitments—to help build equitable, resilient, and gender-responsive land systems, ensuring that women can fully access, use, and benefit from land rights worldwide.

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