Special
Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate
standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context
Latest press release:
United Nations experts welcome Australia’s apology to
indigenous peoples
18 February 2008
Special Procedures mandate holders deeply concerned
by situation in Kenya, 4 January 2008
United Nations Expert on Adequate Housing calls for
immediate attention to tackle national housing crisis in Canada,
1 November 2007
Governments should take positive steps to protect
housing rights of Roma in Europe,
UN and Council of Europe Experts say, 24 October 2007 (French version)
Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing to visit
Canada, 3 October 2007
Statement by Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing
on World Habitat Day, 1 October 2007
UN Expert urges Sudan to respect Human Rights of
communities affected by
hydro-electric dam projetcs, 27 August 2007
Special Rapporteur on adequate housing calls for
International Solidarity for earthquake victims in Peru, 21
August 2007 - (Spanish version)
United Nations Expert on Adequate Housing concludes
visit to South Africa, 7 May 2007
Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing to visit South
Africa, 11 April 2007
More press releases ....
Latest Report to the UN Human Rights Council:
A/HRC/4/18 (5
February 2007)
Introduction
Having a secure place to live, is one of the fundamental elements for
human dignity, physical and mental health and overall quality of life,
which enables one’s development. As such, the right to adequate
housing has received a wide recognition as a fundamental human right in a
number of international instruments and declarations, regional instruments
and national laws.
Against this backdrop, the Commission on Human Rights, by its resolution
2000/9 of 17 April 2000 , appointed a Special Rapporteur on adequate
housing, whose mandate is to focus on adequate housing as a component of
the right to an adequate standard of living.
The Commission further requested him:
(a) to report on the status, throughout the world, of the realization of
the rights that are relevant to the mandate;
(b) to promote, as appropriate, cooperation among and assistance to
Governments in their efforts to secure these rights;
(c) to apply a gender perspective;
(d) to develop a regular dialogue and to discuss possible areas of
collaboration with Governments, relevant United Nations bodies, specialized
agencies, international organizations in the field of housing rights, inter
alia the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS/Habitat),
non-governmental organizations and international financial institutions,
and to make recommendations on the realization of the relevant rights;
(e) to identify possible types and sources of financing for relevant
advisory services and technical cooperation;
(f) to facilitate, where appropriate, the inclusion of issues relating
to relevant United Nations missions, field presences and national offices;
(g) to submit to the Commission on Human Rights an annual report
covering the activities relating to the mandate.
In the fulfilment of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur:
- Undertakes Country Visits (see Country Visits);
- Responds to information received on allegations concerning the
situation of housing rights in particular countries (see Individual Complaints);
- Develops dialogues with Governments and civil society through
questionnaires and a constructive approach that will help identify possible
policy suggestions with demonstrated practicality from a housing rights
perspective.
- Submits annual reports to the Commission on Human Rights/ the Human
Rights Council covering the activities relating to the mandate (see Annual Reports).
Over the past decade, the UN human rights mechanism as a whole has been
actively engaged in clarifying the content of the right to adequate
housing. In particular, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights adopted General Comment No. 4 on adequate housing in 1991, and
General Comment No. 7 on forced eviction in 1997. During 1991-1995,
the Special Rapporteur on the realization of the right to adequate housing
appointed under the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human
Rights produced four important papers that significantly contributed to
clarifying the content of the right.
Independent Expert:
- Mr. Miloon Kothari ( India ), since
2000
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