As the world marks International Women’s Day, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has warned that millions of displaced and migrant women and girls still do not have safe and proper shelter.

This puts them at high risk of violence, exploitation, and exclusion from basic services.

IOM is calling on governments and partners to invest more in gender-sensitive shelter solutions that protect women’s rights, safety, and dignity.

IOM Director-General Amy Pope said for women and girls affected by crisis, safety, dignity and access to services cannot be taken for granted.

“Inadequate living conditions increase exposure to violence and limit the ability to access support and rebuild. These risks must be addressed through sustained investment, stronger protection systems and solutions designed with communities themselves.”

Women and girls make up nearly half of the world’s displaced population, yet millions still live in unsafe, overcrowded, or makeshift shelters. Without proper housing, recovery becomes much harder. Many cannot access essential services because they lack identity documents, while others face barriers in reclaiming property when returning home. This long-term insecurity undermines their ability to rebuild livelihoods, participate in community life, and protect themselves.

Globally, IIOM said, women own less than 20 per cent of land, leaving many at risk of eviction, secondary displacement, and exclusion from assistance.

The organisation is working closely with women, community leaders, and local authorities to design shelter programs that are safe, dignified, and fit local conditions. By combining emergency shelter with long-term support for housing and land rights, IOM helps reduce risks and strengthen resilience.

However, funding gaps remain a major challenge, limiting shelter and protection programs and leaving many women and girls vulnerable. IOM urges governments and humanitarian actors to take sustained action that ensures safe shelter, legal protection, and equal access to land and housing.

As IOM co-leads the Global Shelter, Land and Site Coordination Cluster, the organization emphasizes that safe housing must be at the centre of recovery efforts to ensure that every woman and girl has a secure place to live and exercise her rights.