[homeles_ot-l] UN Special Rapporteur: Right to Housing June Update

Tue Jun 30 04:03:31 EDT 2015

The right to adequate housing is the right to live in peace, security and dignity.

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** From country missions to homelessness to urban migrants, the Special Rapporteur on the right to housing has been active …

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Commission of Inquiry on Gaza Identifies Right to Housing as Key Issue
The UN Commission of Inquiry released its report (http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G15/064/65/PDF/G1506465.pdf?OpenElement) on Gaza this month. The Commission found that possible war crimes were committed by both sides in the conflict, indicating that they had received little information as to why Israel considered residential homes and buildings in Gaza legitimate military targets. The report explicitly notes that home demolitions violate Israel’s international human rights obligations, particularly the right to adequate housing, and that the houses destroyed were homes, protecting essential rights to health, security, sanitation, privacy and family life.  Please email (mailto:megan.hooft at unhousingrapp.org?subject=Request%20for%20Submission%3A%20COI%20on%20Gaza) us for a copy of the Special Rapporteur’s submission.
Official Visit to Serbia, including Kosovo*
>From May 16-28 the Special Rapporteur conducted an official mission to Serbia, including Kosovo*.  Critical transitions in Serbia in recent years have had a profound effect on housing.  What was once public housing became private overnight, unemployment is high and a wave of refugees and migrants has changed the housing landscape.  There are good laws based in human rights on the books, a number of international actors and donors are active in implementing housing programmes and the Serbian government has established a social housing strategy, however, the country could soon be facing a housing crisis as housing needs far outstrip available programs.  The Special Rapporteur’s press statement on Serbia can be found on the OHCHR (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16005&LangID=E) website.

In Kosovo (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16019&LangID=E) * the Rapporteur expressed concern that the deep gap between law and its implementation renders housing inadequate for the most vulnerable groups, particularly internally displaced persons, Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian minorities and women.  She noted,“I heard testimonies of very poor housing conditions, including lack of water and electricity, for minority groups."  The Special Rapporteur was also struck by the inequality women face in Kosovo in relation to inheritance, housing, and property, all essential for the enjoyment of the right to adequate housing.

*As per UN Sec Council Res 1244
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UN Experts Urge Netherlands to Uphold Rights of Homeless Migrants
In late 2014, Leilani joined two other Special Rapporteurs, Philip Alston (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Poverty/Pages/SRExtremePovertyIndex#sthash.fR2OVAoj.dpuf) (extreme poverty and human rights) and François Crépeau (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Migration/SRMigrants/Pages/SRMigrantsIndex.aspx#sthash.fR2OVAoj.dpuf)  (human rights of migrants), in a joint communication to the government of the Netherlands expressing concern that municipalities were being denied funding by the central government if they provided emergency assistance to irregular migrants who were homeless.

In April 2015, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe upheld the decisions of the European Committee of Social Rights, declaring that the Dutch government has an obligation to take urgent and immediate action to assist irregular migrants who are homeless. It remains to be seen whether the Dutch government will now ensure the provision of resources to Municipalities so that they can meet their international human rights obligations with respect to housing. (Read the full press release) (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15849&LangID=E)
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Recent Presentations
April 21: Skype presentation on homelessness and the right to housing to the Intergroup Fighting against Poverty in Defence of Human Rights at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium

May 6: Keynote speech by Leilani Farha at Latin America & Caribbean Forum on "Housing for Life" (http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Housing/SpeechMonterrey6May2015.doc) Monterrey, Mexico

June 16: Keynote panelist at the Summit on the Legal Needs of Street Youth in London, UK hosted by the American Bar Association (http://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_services/homelessness_poverty/events_cle/street_youth.html)

June 18: Video presentation (https://youtu.be/jYWjIaI8UO4) at "Homelessness, a local phenomenon with a European Dimension", Paris, France hosted by FEANTSA  (http://www.feantsa.org)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0pu0iYv0Xs
A clip from Leilani's recent keynote speech in Monterrey, Mexico - "Housing for Life".
Upcoming...
Preparations for Leilani's next report to the General Assembly focused on Habitat III and the right to housing are underway.  The report will be presented in October, 2015.

In September, Leilani will travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina to host an expert consultation on global homelessness and the right to housing - the subject of her report to the Human Rights Council in March, 2016.
World Habitat Awards
Leilani will be a judge for the 2015 World Habitat Awards. Established in 1985, the awards highlight creative and practical solutions to current housing challenges.  Who won in 2014? Find out here (http://www.worldhabitatawards.org/winners-and-finalists/project-archive.cfm?lang=00) !
This newsletter is published quarterly, and only in English at this time.
Leilani Farha (Chris Roussakis)

Connect with the Special Rapporteur

“Only once housing is understood as a human right, and reflected and implemented as such in policy and law, will we make real and significant change."

Find Leilani on Twitter
@leilanifarha (https://twitter.com/leilanifarha)  and @adequatehousing (https://twitter.com/adequatehousing) , Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/righttohousing?fref=ts) , and Instagram (https://instagram.com/spraphousing/) .
HOW WE LIVE
Abdul Al-Samad Mahmoud Solaiman Al-Masry
Gaza, Palestine

Abdul lived in a three-story building with six apartments, along with his 36 children and grandchildren until last summer’s military offensive in Gaza. His family took shelter in a nearby school during the conflict.

As of October 2014 Abdul and his family are scattered in Gaza, facing a situation of family separation.

Displaced families in camps in Nepal
(Photo: International Organization for Migration)

HOUSING NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
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Earthquake in Nepal causes mass devastation
On April 25th, central Nepal was struck by a massive earthquake killing more than 7,000 people. Latest figures reveal that 117,700 people are residing in spontaneous displacement sites, 505,577 houses were fully damaged and 278,907 houses were partially damaged.

The poor were the most affected - with poorly structured homes, limited resources for rebuilding, restricted access to infrastructure and support.

Displaced Persons Hits Record High
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the Norwegian Refugee Council recently released updated numbers of internationally displaced persons in 2014.  A record 38 million people  (http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=50785#.VXR7DGA-DVp%5D) have been forced out of their homes due to conflict or violence, renewing calls for peace.
LEGAL NEWS:
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Right to Housing in North American Supreme Courts

This month the US Supreme ruled (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/06/25/the-supreme-courts-housing-decision-is-a-warning-against-subtle-segregation-everywhere/) that the 1968 Fair Housing Act prevents more than just intentional discrimination in the housing market and prohibits seemingly race-neutral policies that have the effect of disproportionately harming minorities and other protected groups.

On the same day, the Supreme Court of Canada closed the door on an important case challenging the federal and sub-national level governments’ failure to effectively address homelessness as contrary to human rights. In a country where legislators have also failed to adopt a national housing strategy in compliance with international human rights law, it is now unclear how homeless people in Canada can claim their human rights.
DID YOU KNOW?
Only 48% of Nigerian's have access to electricity (World Bank).

This is roughly the same percentage of the population living in poverty (46%). An energy powerhouse, Nigeria is plagued with poor infrastructure causing recurring blackouts.

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Copyright © *2015* *Leilani Farha*, All rights reserved.

With content provided by students at the University of Ottawa's Human Rights Clinic, Human Rights Research and Education Centre.
Disclaimer: This newsletter is a project of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing and it does not express the opinions of the United Nations. Rapporteur: Leilani Farha
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