One of the main causes of violence, food and physical insecurity, and breaches of the fundamental rights of internally displaced people (IDPs) and their host communities is the absence of safe access to land. In the context of violent conflict and climate change in the Sahel, this briefing paper describes the origins and effects of restricted land access and investigates its connections to protection threats. In keeping with the “Triple Nexus” strategy that links humanitarian action, development, and peace, it emphasizes the critical role that secure land access and land rights play in economic empowerment and protection programs for IDPs and host communities in the Central Sahel.