A/HRC/RES/37/4
Recalling that States have the primary responsibility to ensure the full realization of
all human rights and to endeavour to take steps, individually and through international
assistance and cooperation, especially economic and technical, to the maximum of their
available resources, with a view to progressively achieving the full realization of the right
to adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living by all
appropriate means, including the adoption of legislative measures,
Emphasizing that the adverse effects of climate change have a range of implications,
both direct and indirect, for the effective enjoyment of human rights, inter alia, the right to
adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and
welcoming the adoption and nearly universal ratification of the Paris Agreement under the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and calling upon States to
continue its implementation, as applicable,
Expressing deep concern at the number and scale of natural disasters and their
negative impact on the right to adequate housing, and in this regard affirming the need for
the continued implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 20152030,
Noting with appreciation the work of the treaty bodies, in particular the Committee
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, in the promotion of the rights relating to adequate
housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, including all its
relevant general comments and, for States parties to the Optional Protocol to the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the examination of
individual communications,
Recalling the guiding principles on security of tenure for the urban poor, as laid out
in the report of the 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,1
Concerned that the right to adequate housing is not realized for many throughout the
world and that millions continue to live in substandard housing and millions more are
homeless or at immediate risk of homelessness, and recognizing that this situation should
be addressed by urgent and immediate measures by States, in accordance with existing
international human rights commitments and obligations and with the support, where
necessary, of the international community,
Deeply concerned that inadequate housing, homelessness and forced eviction
disproportionately affect women, children and persons with disabilities, and other persons
who are marginalized and most vulnerable, each in different ways but with common
structural causes, and that homelessness and tenure insecurity per se might result in
discrimination, criminalization and further exclusion, particularly social and economic
exclusion,
Reaffirming that everyone is entitled to the right to adequate housing as a component
of the right to an adequate standard of living without discrimination of any kind as to race,
colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property,
birth or other status,
Emphasizing the importance of housing to dignity and equal rights for persons with
disabilities, who often face widespread and severe forms of discrimination in virtually all
aspects of housing, from the inaccessible design of buildings to barriers to finance or
discriminatory tenant selection and various forms of stigmatization, and acknowledging in
particular that persons with disabilities are at a greater risk of violence within and outside of
their homes simply because of their disability,
Recognizing that security of tenure enhances the enjoyment of the right to adequate
housing and is significant to the enjoyment of many other economic, social, cultural, civil
and political rights, and that all persons should possess a degree of security of tenure that
guarantees legal protection against forced eviction, harassment and other threats,
1
2
A/HRC/25/54.