International Human Rights Law on the Right to Housing
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 25: ???Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including??? housing??????
International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights
Article 11: ???States Parties??? recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living??? adequate??? housing??? to continuous improvement of living conditions??????
Committee on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights: General Comment 4: The right to adequate housing (Art. 11.1, Sixth session, 1991)
Committee on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights: General Comment 7: The right to adequate housing: forced evictions (Art.11.1, Sixteenth session, 1997)
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Article 14: ???States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of employment in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, the same rights, in particular??? the right to adequate living conditions, particularly in relation to housing, sanitation, electricity and water supply??????
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
Article 5: ???States Parties undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination??? and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law??? in the enjoyment of??? the right to housing??????
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Article 27: ???States Parties recognize the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development??????
U.N. Documents
Reports of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing
U.N. Fact Sheet No. 21, The Human Right to Adequate Housing
Political Commitments
Agenda 21
Paragraph 7.9: ???We commit ourselves to??? provide shelter to??? homeless poor??? All countries should adopt and/or strengthen national shelter strategies??? People should be protected by law against unfair eviction from their homes or land??????
The Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam
Article 17: "The States shall ensure the right of the individual to a decent living that may enable him to meet his requirements and those of his dependents, including food, clothing, housing, education, medical care and all other basic needs."
Declaration on the Right to Development
Article 8 "States should undertake, at the national level, all necessary measures for the realization of the right to development and shall ensure, inter alia, equality of opportunity for all in their access to basic resources, education, health services, food, housing, employment and the fair distribution of income. Effective measures should be undertaken to ensure that women have an active role in the development process. Appropriate economic and social reforms should be carried out with a view to eradicating all social injustices."
Declaration on the Rights of the Child
Article 27: "States Parties, in accordance with national conditions and within their means, shall take appropriate measures to assist parents and others responsible for the child to implement this right and shall in case of need provide material assistance and support programmes, particularly with regard to nutrition, clothing and housing."
Declaration on Social Progress and Development
Article 10 "The provision for all, particularly persons in low income groups and large families, of adequate housing and community services."
Habitat Agenda
Paragraphs 39 & 60: ???We recognize an obligation by Governments to enable people to obtain shelter and to protect and improve dwellings??? We commit ourselves to the goal of improving living??? conditions on an equitable and sustainable basis, so that everyone will have adequate shelter that is healthy, safe??? affordable and that includes basic services??? and will enjoy freedom from discrimination in housing and legal security of tenure??????
Istanbul Declaration
Paragraphs 8 & 15: ???We commit ourselves to??? the full and progressive realization of the right to adequate housing??? We shall??? ensure legal security of tenure, protection from discrimination and equal access to affordable, adequate housing for all persons and their families??????
The Vancouver Declaration On Human Settlements, (From the report of Habitat: United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, Vancouver, Canada, 31 May to 11 June 1976)
"Adequate shelter and services are a basic human right which places an obligation on Governments to ensure their attainment by all people, beginning with direct assistance to the least advantaged through guided programmes of self-help and community action. Governments should endeavour to remove all impediments hindering attainments of these goals; of special importance is the elimination of social and racial segregation, inter alia, through the creation of better balanced communities, which blend different social groups, occupation, housing and amenities."