International alerts on housing rights violations

UN-HABITAT’s Advisory Group on Forced Evictions launched its second report during the 21st Session of the Governing Council.

After its constitution in the Spring of 2004, the UN-Advisory Group on Forced Evictions (UN-AGFE) has received about thirty dossiers, from as many countries, reporting serious threats of eviction regarding emarginated social groups, as well as entire communities and neighbourhoods. On this basis, it decided to undertake its first missions in February and March 2005, sending its own delegations composed of representatives of inhabitants’ organisations, local administrations, and NGOs to Rome (Italy), Curitiba (Brazil), and San Domingo (Dominican Republic).

The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions is one of the most influential international human rights organizations dedicated to securing economic, social and cultural rights, with a special focus on housing. COHRE’s work concentrates on preventing planned forced evictions and protecting housing rights. [Read more... ]

Background/Mandate: The United Nations Housing Rights Programme (UNHRP) was launched in April 2002, as a joint initiative by UN-HABITAT and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The establishment of the programme was a direct response to United Nations Commission on Human Settlements resolution 16/7 and United Nations Commission on Human Rights resolutions 2001/28 and 2001/34, all of which called upon the two agencies to elaborate a United Nations Housing Rights Programme. The substantive focus of the programme is grounded in the Habitat Agenda, in particular paragraph 61, which states that "Within the overall context of an enabling approach, Governments should take appropriate action in order to promote, protect and ensure the full and progressive realization of the right to adequate housing". [Read more...]

The Global Campaign for Secure Tenure is designed to take forward the commitment of Governments to providing Adequate Shelter for All, one of the two main themes of the Habitat Agenda. The Campaign identifies the provision of secure tenure as essential for a sustainable shelter strategy, and as a vital element in the promotion of Housing Rights. [Read more...]

Nairobi, 12 March, 2004 - UN-HABITAT’s Advisory Group on Forced Eviction (AGFE) met for the first time on 5 March 2005 at the organizations headquarters in Nairobi. UN-HABITAT sees the monitoring of forced evictions as an essential component for the successful implementation of the Habitat Agenda. In her welcoming address, Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, UN-HABITAT’s Executive Director challenged the group to address the voice of the urban poor who are in urgent need of adequate shelter and some form of secure tenure. [Read more...]