Property Rights

Secure rights to property and resources trigger a multiplying effect of opportunity: Social identification and inclusion. Economic stability. Better environmental stewardship. Responsible and more informed private investment that lowers financial risk.

Yet a significant proportion of the world’s population has weak or nonexistent protections for their property and resources. This leaves people vulnerable to wrongful eviction and forced displacement – and it disempowers them and prevents them from engaging in the formal economy. Without formal recognition and protection of their property, people are unable to have ownership of goods, start and run a business, or be protected when buying, selling, and trading. They cannot protect their access to even the most basic resources, many of which they had long before statutory authorities existed.

Omidyar Network’s investments in business, civil society, and technology solutions help make it possible for individuals, businesses, groups, and communities to confirm and protect their property rights.

Core to our strategy is deploying transformative technologies that can fundamentally improve the way property rights are identified, publicized, and protected. We look for investments that have the potential to be highly disruptive. We believe that the private sector has a meaningful role to play in developing solutions that support widespread economic development, and seek investments that bridge the gap between communities, civil society, and business interests.

In partnership with our investees, we invest in developing evidence based research that helps to inform policy and legislative change. We also invest in programs that empower people with knowledge to safeguard their assets and stake a claim on their property and resources, thereby improving their future and that of their community.