 In a disaster or conflict when people are forced to run away they can't take with them some of their most valuable assets their land and their house. They worry that their house may be destroyed or that their land may be occupied or even sold, making it harder to return when the emergency is over. Sometimes if the crisis lasts a long time displaced families also begin to worry about the land and house at the displacement location. How long will we be able to stay here? Can we enroll our children in the local school? Invest Improve our shelter Grow crops When it comes to land rights women and girls are particularly vulnerable. In many societies women cannot own land on their own and only have access to property via their male relatives. If a man dies his widow cannot keep the land. When an emergency is over people will want to reclaim their home, land and property. Those working to provide shelter to displaced families must consider issues around land when planning and implementing their programs. When providing shelter at previously occupied sites organisations must verify that the people are entitled to stay on that land to avoid disputes and evictions. If the shelter is provided on a new location the organisation must ensure that the occupants will have the right to stay on the land. These concerns about land have to do with what is called security of tenure. Tenure is the relationship between the person and the land. It is the right that someone has over a piece of land or a house. This can be ownership, rent or informal. The higher the certainty that someone can stay on their land the stronger is his or her security of tenure. Sometimes government and aid organisations neglect to assist those who are not property owners such as renters and people living in informal settlements. Organisations should work with government institutions to strengthen vulnerable people's security of tenure. This can be done by mapping their neighbourhood, recording their rights to the land or house and providing them with legal documentation. Women's names should be recorded alongside that of their husbands or male relatives on property documents. Remember, land left behind is often people's most valuable asset. Women are particularly vulnerable to being dispossessed. Assistance is not exclusively for property owners. It should include renters and residents of informal settlements. Shelter actors must consider land rights, conduct verification and strengthen security of tenure. Strong security of tenure helps displaced families plan their future, encourages people to invest in their new lives, reduces the risk of disputes and prevents forced evictions.