Housing, land and property rights

The 2026 report, based on interviews with roughly 100,000 people across 140+ countries, reinforces that happiness is not solely about wealth. Social support and trust in institutions often outweigh raw GDP in explaining national differences. Costa Rica’s surge into the top four proves that strong community ties and life satisfaction can propel mid-income nations upward.

While approximately 90 per cent of the land identification process has been completed, displaced communities remain uncertain about when permanent housing will become available. For many survivors, the prolonged wait for safe housing continues to compound the trauma of the disaster.

As elections near, experts urge comprehensive land reform to recognise informal tenures and ensure equitable distribution. The 2008 Constituent Assembly subcommittee identified livelihood alternatives as key, yet many ex-Kamaiyas remain in marginal work.

Fortify Rights recommends that Bangladesh immediately close Bhasan Char, allow voluntary relocation to the mainland, grant all Rohingya freedom of movement and the right to work, and ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention. It also calls on the UN to prioritise human rights monitoring over access, and on the international community to support accountability for crimes in Myanmar.

The displacement has sparked humanitarian worries, with aid groups warning of food insecurity and health risks in winter.

In a bold move to address one of Maldive’s most pressing challenges – severe housing shortages in the densely populated capital region – the Maldives government has rolled out its comprehensive ‘Housing for All’ policy.

With rising effects of climate change across the globe, the world has started recognising that climate change is not just an ecological collapse, but also a human rights crisis.

Launched under a 2017 Memorandum of Understanding between the governments of India and Sri Lanka, the scheme envisages 600 houses – one “model village” of 24 homes per district across Sri Lanka.