Centrality of the right to adequate housing for the development and implementation of the New Urban Agenda to be adopted at Habitat III in October 2016 2015, para. 16
Paragraph
Paragraph text
A second factor is the evolving understanding of the meaning of the right to housing. Twenty years ago, the idea of the right to housing as a "lever of transformational change" was far less sophisticated than today. Up until the 1990s, both internationally and nationally, the fulfilment of the right to adequate housing was generally conceived of as an aspirational goal of Governments. By the end of the millennium, however, the "second generation" status of economic, social and cultural rights had eroded, and the right to housing was understood as having the capacity to empower rights holders to become active participants in decision-making, challenge stigmatization and exclusion and provide access to justice and effective remedies. It was also understood that States can be held accountable for measures taken to progressively realize the right to housing, including through the adoption of housing strategies and appropriate budgetary allocations. Such measures must be assessed for compliance with human rights and engage with international, national, subnational and local initiatives and strategies.
Legal status
Non-negotiated soft law
Body
Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Means of adoption
N.A.
Topic(s)
Equality & Inclusion
Governance & Rule of Law
Social & Cultural Rights
Person(s) affected
All
Year
2015
Paragraph type
Other
Reference
SR Housing, Report to the UNGA (2015), A/70/270, para. 16.