Social support mechanisms for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Azerbaijan are entering a new phase, with legislative updates designed to facilitate permanent housing ownership. This initiative is a key component of the ongoing 'Great Return' program, which focuses on the restoration and resettlement of the country's liberated territories.
Musa Guliyev, Chairman of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) Committee on Labor and Social Policy, stated that the government is finalizing a new legislative package. In an interview, Guliyev emphasized that the state has consistently prioritized the needs of citizens who were displaced following the occupation of Garabagh and East Zangazur. "President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva have kept the problems and concerns of IDPs at the center of their attention, providing comprehensive legal, material, and moral support," he noted.
The proposed legislative changes, currently under discussion in parliamentary committees, aim to establish a legal framework for IDPs to acquire permanent property rights in their ancestral lands. A significant aspect of this reform is the creation of the "Fund for Permanent Settlement in Liberated Territories." Under this new model, houses and apartments provided to returning citizens will be transferred to their personal ownership, granting them full property rights. Previously, housing provided to IDPs was based on usage rights rather than ownership.
The legislation also includes a transitional support period. Once individuals are permanently settled and receive their property, they will no longer hold the status of an IDP. However, to ensure a smooth integration, the state will maintain their existing social privileges and benefits for an additional three years. This period is intended to assist families in adapting to their new environments and establishing their livelihoods.
Since the 44-day Patriotic War, Azerbaijan has invested nearly 28 billion manats from the state budget into the reconstruction of Garabagh and East Zangazur. The government has already approved master plans for eight cities and established urban planning foundations for 101 settlements, reflecting the scale of the state's commitment to the 'Great Return' initiative.
