UN expert urges reconstruction that helps displaced people rebuild lives in safety

The financial demands of reconstruction have reached an unprecedented scale, exceeding $71 billion in Gaza, $11 billion in Lebanon and $216 billion in Syria, with needs in Ukraine estimated at $588 billion.

Reconstruction after conflict and disasters must give displaced people the chance to rebuild their lives in safety, a UN expert said, warning that decisions made today could either end years of upheaval or leave communities facing deeper exclusion and renewed displacement.

Paula Gaviria Betancur, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, told the General Assembly that recovery cannot be measured by the number of buildings restored, particularly in countries where violence and displacement continue as reconstruction gets underway.

Presenting her report, she called for displaced communities to help shape decisions about their future, with rebuilding efforts addressing safety, livelihoods, justice and public trust alongside the repair of homes and infrastructure.

Reconstruction needs extend far beyond damaged buildings

The financial demands of reconstruction have reached an unprecedented scale, exceeding $71 billion in Gaza, $11 billion in Lebanon and $216 billion in Syria, with needs in Ukraine estimated at $588 billion.

Yemen, Sudan and South Sudan also face immense reconstruction demands, as do other countries affected by conflict and disasters, making decisions about funding and priorities critical to the futures of millions of displaced people.

Gaviria Betancur warned that reconstruction is never neutral because decisions over who controls the process, provides the money and benefits from investment can either repair the harm suffered by displaced communities or deepen it.

An approach centred on buildings and budgets can prolong displacement, benefit people who profited from destruction and create cities that former residents cannot return to, leaving physical recovery disconnected from the needs of those who lost their homes.

Displaced communities need justice and a role in decisions

The expert said there is no single model for reconstruction, but every approach should protect people's rights by improving safety, restoring economic opportunities, strengthening public institutions and rebuilding relationships within affected communities.

Recovery must also recognise losses that construction cannot repair, including missing people, places that preserve shared memories, spaces for mourning and the community bonds damaged by violence and displacement.

People who have lost their homes need justice, recognition and institutions they can trust, Gaviria Betancur said, stressing that they must have a meaningful say in what happens to their neighbourhoods and communities.

Treating internally displaced people as partners in recovery can help overcome the exclusion and marginalisation that contribute to displacement, giving reconstruction a role in supporting development, resilience and peace instead of simply recreating conditions that existed before the devastation.

National leadership needs sustained international support

National authorities must lead reconstruction and take responsibility for its results, supported by reliable data, effective monitoring and clear accountability, the expert said, adding that international cooperation and sustained funding remain essential.

That responsibility includes ensuring recovery offers lasting solutions for displaced people and reduces the likelihood that they will be forced from their homes again, with decisions shaped by their rights and needs throughout the process.

Gaviria Betancur said the central measure of success is whether people can rebuild their lives and futures with safety and dignity, warning that reconstruction which fails that test risks perpetuating the displacement and exclusion it should help resolve.