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Migration and the right to adequate housing 2010, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Article 5 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination sets out the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour or national or ethnic origin, to equality in the enjoyment of the right to housing. Article 43 of the International Convention for the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families requires States to ensure the same treatment regarding access of documented migrants to housing as is afforded to nationals, including social housing schemes and protection against exploitation in respect of rent. Moreover, article 64 requires States to promote sound, equitable and humane conditions in connection with international migration and to pay due regard not only to labour needs and resources, but also to the social, economic, cultural and other needs of migrant workers.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Migration and the right to adequate housing 2010, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- Article 6 of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Migration for Employment Convention (Revised) of 1949 requires parties to the Convention to apply, without discrimination in respect of nationality, race, religion or sex, to immigrants lawfully within its territory, treatment no less favourable than that which it applies to its own nationals in respect of accommodation. Similarly, the ILO Workers' Housing Recommendation of 1961 calls upon the competent authorities to pay particular attention to the particular problem of housing of migrant workers and their families and to ensure as rapidly as possible equality of treatment between migrant workers and national workers in that respect.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Migration and the right to adequate housing 2010, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- At the regional level, article 13 of the European Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant Workers, requires States to accord to migrant workers treatment not less favourable than that accorded to its own nationals with regard to access to housing and rents; to ensure that standards of fitness of accommodation are kept up for migrant workers as for its own nationals; to protect migrant workers against exploitation in respect of rents; and to ensure that the housing of migrant workers is suitable. In addition, article 19 (4) (c) of the European Social Charter requires States to secure documented migrant workers and their families treatment not less favourable than that of their own nationals regarding accommodation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Migration and the right to adequate housing 2010, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- In its concluding observations of 25 May 2007 on Egypt (CMW/C/EGY/CO/1), the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families expressed its concern about reports that some migrant workers suffer from discrimination, inter alia, in the area of housing, and encouraged the State to ensure that the rights provided for in the Convention are enjoyed without discrimination. The Committee expresses similar concerns with regard to non-Arab migrants in the Syrian Arab Republic in its concluding observations of 2 May 2008 (CMW/C/SYR/CO/1).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Migration and the right to adequate housing 2010, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- The segregation within the urban structure of the hosting territory is another dimension of migrant housing conditions: stereotyping, xenophobia and suspicion against migrants and the erection of barriers to keep them away from the local community foster the exclusion of migrants from the urban space. Segregation is also a consequence of insufficient access to social housing and services, which denies migrants access to fully serviced neighbourhoods, confining them to unserviced and unplanned areas with poor conditions and insufficient infrastructure and further fragmenting cities and fostering spatial clustering. Moreover, the need for undocumented migrants to remain invisible to authorities and the desire of all migrants to increase protection among members of each national community and to receive assistance from relatives and friends encourages ghettoized urban spaces.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Migration and the right to adequate housing 2010, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- Undocumented migrants are also often lodged by family members or rely on diaspora networks for housing. Families often feel the obligation to host migrants from their own countries, even if they lack the space or facilities for them. When none of those alternatives is possible, migrants are left on the streets and need to be accommodated in shelters for homeless people. As space in the shelters is often limited, conflicts have emerged between national and non-national homeless people. In some countries, public shelters do not accommodate undocumented migrants, while others provide such opportunities for one or two nights only.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Migration and the right to adequate housing 2010, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- For example, between 15,000 and 20,000 Roma people are currently living in the Italian capital. Most of them have Romanian citizenship or originate from countries of former Yugoslavia - Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. In 2008, Roma families were victims of assaults and discrimination, including eviction from illegal settlements across Rome. These evictions were characterized by the indiscriminate destruction of their huts and lack of provision of alternative housing, which left hundreds of Roma, including women and children, without shelter.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Migration and the right to adequate housing 2010, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- The housing situation of children is directly connected to the status of their migrant parents. When parents, and especially migrant single mothers, have no access to employment, social benefits or other sources of livelihood in the host country, children may end up living in substandard conditions or being homeless alongside their parents. On many occasions, migrant women heads of families, sometimes in charge of several children, have had great difficulty in finding employment and caring for their children, finding reduced opportunities to provide adequate shelter and essential food.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Migration and the right to adequate housing 2010, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- When children do not have documents they face triple discrimination: as children, as migrants and as being undocumented, and thus they constitute one of the most vulnerable groups. Their right to adequate housing, as well as other economic, social and cultural rights, are often severely affected in those circumstances. Among undocumented children, a particularly difficult situation is that of unaccompanied migrant children, who, because their parents are unable to work or they have no parents to look after them, are forced into poverty and exclusion. Often living on the streets, in parks and in front of shops, these children are excluded from child protection services and are denied adequate housing. In certain countries, unaccompanied children are detained for living on the streets and are institutionalized in prison-like conditions or deported to countries where they have no family to care for them (see A/HRC/14/30, paras. 58 and 59).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Migration and the right to adequate housing 2010, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- In some cases, local governments have established programmes to assist low-income migrant families in paying their rents, obtaining a house or doing maintenance work on their residences and to give both documented and undocumented migrants access to social policies. As a result, migrant families have equal opportunities to enjoy adequate housing and living conditions. Since migrants often represent a significant proportion of the poor, non-restrictive policies addressed to the entire low-income population can have a real impact on the living conditions of migrants. In Spain, the municipalities of Salamanca and Valladolid provide financial assistance to low-income populations, including migrants, to rent their homes. Similarly, in Catalonia, the provincial immigration office, the Fundación Caixa Catalunya and a network of non-governmental organizations assist in the provision of housing for documented and undocumented migrants, as well as for asylum-seekers.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right to adequate housing in disaster relief efforts 2011, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- Often, multiple factors of vulnerability and discrimination have a compounding effect. Post-Katrina responses by the federal and state governments in the United States generally were found lacking when it came to supporting lower-income renters - predominantly African American - and addressing the range of obstacles that prevented them from accessing affordable housing. Despite a federal programme of housing vouchers, in practice, families with rent vouchers had difficulties finding rental units. Reasons included public and rental housing shortages (due to storm damage but also to subsequent decisions to massively cut down public housing), rent increases, discrimination by landowners, the slow pace of rental housing construction and the decision by states in the Gulf coast to direct the bulk of federal funds towards repairing homeowner units rather than rental ones. With a very limited option to rent, an important number of families were de facto denied return to their city and former homes; which resulted in a rise in homelessness.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right to adequate housing in disaster relief efforts 2011, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- The principles of equality and non-discrimination are firmly rooted in international human rights law. Attention to non-discrimination and equality requires Governments and aid organizations to pay particular attention to vulnerabilities and inequalities in pre-disaster contexts, and, in the aftermath of disasters, to address inequalities and protect the most vulnerable. United Nations treaty bodies have noted that even in times of severe resource constraints - as is typically the case in the wake of a disaster - States have a particular obligation to protect vulnerable members of society. States should also take special measures to secure for disadvantaged groups the full and equal enjoyment of their human rights. In post-disaster situations, such measures might translate into special assistance to support return of the most vulnerable groups or find land/housing for landless or homeless families.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right to adequate housing in disaster relief efforts 2011, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- As mentioned above, the earthquake in Haiti highlighted the largely inadequate housing conditions and the precariousness and insecure tenure of informal settlements. The international community, by focusing on people displaced in camps, and by offering conditions superior to those enjoyed by many Haitians, inadvertently made camps attractive places. While systematic reconstruction accompanied by the provision of services in neighbourhoods of return is not forthcoming, there is thus little reason for poor families to leave the camps where housing and services are provided free of charge. Although understandable from an emergency perspective, a narrow focus on the plight of internally displaced persons and temporary solutions becomes, amidst a difficult socio-economic and tenure context, an obstacle to long-term recovery, and in some cases may result in further development problems. Such situations are bound to become more frequent, with increased urbanization, much of which occurs in an unplanned manner (see A/64/255, paras. 13-21).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Post conflict and post disaster reconstruction and the right to adequate housing 2011, para. 7
- Paragraph text
- The impacts of both conflicts and disasters for the individuals, families and communities affected can be devastating. These include the loss of life and livelihoods; destruction of homes, property and infrastructure; disruption or termination of essential services; and the prolonged and sometimes even permanent forced displacement from land, home and community. Although wealth and power do not offer any immunity from these impacts, it is in most cases the poor and socially disadvantaged who are worst affected; and it is also they who are least able to withstand economic shocks and so generally take the longest to recover.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Movement
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The impact of housing finance policies on the right to adequate housing of those living in poverty 2012, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- Problems also soon emerged with regard to the location of these programmes. In Chile, planning regulations were loosened and city limits expanded under the premise that a freely operating land market would automatically contribute to providing access to adequate housing through housing markets. Unlike in the case of housing markets for higher-income families, in which suppliers have to be sensitive to demand requirements and therefore to the trilogy of product-price-location as they operate in a competitive context, operators that supply social housing have a captive demand, particularly when it is fully subsidized. In a context of housing deficit, beneficiaries of housing subsidies will simply "buy" what is available at the moment. Suppliers of social housing can therefore be not very sensitive to, or simply ignore, demand preferences, as there is no competition.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The impact of housing finance policies on the right to adequate housing of those living in poverty 2012, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- Subsidized housing developments have been built primarily in the urban periphery where land costs are lowest. In Chile, the majority of housing built through the subsidy scheme between 1978 and 2000 has been concentrated in peripheral locations, lacking enough or adequate infrastructure, schools, health facilities and employment opportunities. Poor public transport and road quality further impairs residents' ability to access services and employment. Subsidy programmes in South Africa, Mexico and Brazil have also been criticized for replacing widespread informal housing with low-standard and stigmatized housing typologies concentrating low-income families. The result is greater urban and social segregation, an increase in the disparity in access to urban services, a worsening of local living conditions, increased environmental damage and urban security problems.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The impact of housing finance policies on the right to adequate housing of those living in poverty 2012, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- Until the 1980s, slum dwellers and the urban poor had not been a market for financial services. As previously mentioned, the reasons were the inability of low- and even middle-income households to afford housing finance debt; the incompatibility of formal finance loan requirements (such as complex collateral and extended repayment capabilities) with the characteristics of low-income households (low level and irregularity of income and lack of security of tenure); and the fact that financial institutions perceived few incentives to lend to the poor, who usually "consume" small loan amounts and entail high transaction costs. As a result, low- and even middle-income households adopted "informal" finance strategies based on individual savings, family loans and remittances, or moneylenders or pawnbrokers.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The impact of housing finance policies on the right to adequate housing of those living in poverty 2012, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Some community funds, such as Baan Mankong in Thailand and the Community Mortgage Programme in the Philippines, have demonstrated a great capacity to expand their coverage and to execute complex housing and infrastructure projects that involve national and local Governments, landowners and several communities. The Baan Mankong programme, introduced in 2003 by the Government of Thailand and implemented by an independent Government agency, the Community Organizations Development Institute, aimed to improve living conditions for 300,000 families by 2008. Its strategy for delivering low-income housing is to channel funds to community-based organizations that plan and carry out projects themselves. The programme became an exemplar for community-supported slum upgrading, although it has been implemented on a smaller scale than originally envisaged.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women and their right to adequate housing 2012, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- Women's right to adequate housing is often denied or ignored within the broader context of family and marriage law. Equality in matters of inheritance is often denied for women and girls on the basis of custom and tradition, whether within the context of the death of a spouse, parent or other relative. This has important ramifications, as inheritance is a primary means by which wealth and resources are transferred within societies, as well as within families. To be excluded from the process of inheritance reinforces women's lack of autonomy and equality, and jeopardizes in a very direct way their right to adequate housing.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women and their right to adequate housing 2012, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- In applying the law, the courts also have a critical role to play. In Kenya, recent judicial decisions referencing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women have put to rest the persistent conflict between customary legal systems which deny women inheritance of family property on the one hand, and the guarantee of gender equality under the Kenyan Constitution on the other. In the Ntutu case (2008), for example, the Kenyan High Court heard arguments by the sons of the deceased that "Masai customary law of succession … does not recognize the rights of the daughters to inherit the estate of their fathers." Here, the Court applied international human rights law, international covenants and treaties which have been ratified by Kenya, and noted the previous decision of Rono vs. Rono. The Court found "the customary law which shall abrogate the right of daughters to inherit the estate of a father cannot be applicable as it shall be repugnant to justice and morality," and upheld the right of the daughters to inherit equally from the assets of the estate.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Women
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women and their right to adequate housing 2012, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- Security of tenure, as a cornerstone element of the right to adequate housing, provides legal protection against forced eviction, as well as harassment and other threats. For women, security of tenure is too often tenuous and secondary because it is assumed to be achieved through their relationship with a male - be it their husband, father, brother, or son. This situation falls far short of the standard, and gaps in protection are easily exposed. For many women, once that relationship with a male family member is severed through death or divorce, they are immediately vulnerable to being forced out of their homes. As we know, this is the case for widows who are routinely "disinherited" after the death of their husbands, as well as for women victims of domestic violence where a woman's housing situation depends on her relationship to her abuser.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Women
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women and their right to adequate housing 2012, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- In addition, mass forced evictions which take place at the hands of State authorities or third party actors also impact women disproportionately. In 2000, the then Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women wrote: Violence occurring in relation to forced eviction starts before the eviction process. Psychological stress on learning about the eviction can destabilize the family atmosphere and cause emotional trauma. (…) During the eviction, verbal abuse and beatings, rape and even killing are common. The destruction of the home and the destruction of property are further traumatic experiences. (…) Coping with injuries, the death of family members, inadequate housing or even homelessness, poverty, lack of community support when relocated away from the home town are all possible burdens that have to be taken on by women after eviction.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Women
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women and their right to adequate housing 2012, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- On the positive side, the design of housing itself can certainly encourage greater equality vis-à-vis enjoyment and use of domestic space. An example of new ways of thinking about domestic space from a gender perspective can be seen through the development of housing projects which seek to promote non-hierarchical and more flexible uses of the home. For example, creating personal workspaces inside the home can support women who are more likely to engage in home-based income-generating activities. Another interesting development which can be found in certain policies relates to the design of kitchens, a traditionally female space which is often cramped and separated. The design of housing from a gender-sensitive perspective can better promote family integration, as well as a more equitable sharing of household responsibilities between women and men through openness and shared use of spaces.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Analysis of two alternative housing policies: rental and collective housing 2013, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- Common property is a regime that allocates a package of property rights to a group. Such rights may include ownership, management, use, exchange and access of shared resources. The term "common property regime" refers to a set of institutions, regulations and management practices subject to collective decision-making. Such regimes are distinct from communal tenure, which refers more broadly to community-based tenure systems, in which some form of collective authority (for example, an extended family, clan or other social grouping) holds allocation rights. The present section refers to common property tenure arrangements in urban settings that have been implemented in recent years in both developed and developing countries.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Analysis of two alternative housing policies: rental and collective housing 2013, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- In Latin America, a successful example of housing cooperatives on a national scale is the mutual aid cooperatives in Uruguay, which are promoted by the Federation of Mutual Aid Housing Cooperatives. The Uruguayan legislation recognizes collective tenure, and the regulation of the housing cooperatives is encompassed in the 1992 General Cooperative Law. Since 1965, around 600 Federation cooperatives have been consolidated in Uruguay, and around 20,000 families are living in houses and apartments built through mutual aid. Mutual aid cooperatives have been introduced and adapted in 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries over the past 20 years through various initiatives.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Analysis of two alternative housing policies: rental and collective housing 2013, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- A collective organization enables cooperatives to take on complex housing and infrastructure projects that would otherwise not be possible for an individual household. Community funds provide financial and technical support for the purchase of land parcels and communal infrastructure (such as roads, drainage, water and sanitation). The process typically involves negotiations with other stakeholders, such as the original owners of the parcel and the Government. In the Scandinavian model, the "mother" (also known as "parent" or "secondary") cooperative association is responsible for building housing developments, which are then sold to "daughter" (also known as "subsidiary" or "primary") cooperatives. Financial risk for members is limited to their daughter cooperative.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Analysis of two alternative housing policies: rental and collective housing 2013, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- The Uruguayan mutual aid cooperatives promote affordable housing through a collective process involving the future occupiers. Ownership, as well as responsibility for the mortgage and maintenance of the property is collective and indivisible. Under the Federation of Mutual Aid Housing Cooperatives model, families can get access to collective housing loans without previous savings (particularly suitable for low-income households); the time they spend building the houses is considered to be down payment (15 per cent of public bank mortgage). Members pay a monthly share of the collective mortgage, an additional fee to the Cooperative Fund for the maintenance of common spaces and services, and an assistance fund for members that are temporarily unable to pay to the cooperative due to various reasons (such as accident, loss of employment or death of bread winner).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Analysis of two alternative housing policies: rental and collective housing 2013, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- In the Uruguayan model, security of tenure is ensured by a contract between the cooperative and the member ("contrato de uso y goce" of the Federation of Mutual Aid Housing Cooperatives), which is not time bound. Each family enjoys usufruct rights that can be inherited or sold back to the cooperative. The value of the member's share is paid back to him by the cooperative in two instalments over a period of three years and comprises the value of labour hours; maintenance of the common areas; the repaid amount of the loan; and the repaid interest. This prevents a high member turnover and protects the cooperative from gentrification processes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Mapping and framing security of tenure 2013, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- Conversely, when access to secure housing or land is provided, the potential for social and economic progress is immense-a fact recognized globally. Tenure security means a lot to families and individuals. It gives people certainty about what they can do with their land or home; and it offers them protection from encroachments by others. It often protects, increases and enables access to public services and benefits. It increases economic opportunities. It is a basis for women's economic empowerment and protection from violence. The relevance of the issue, not only to human rights but also to development, is evident.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Women
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflection on work undertaken in first 14 years of the mandate; outline of opportunities and priorities 2014, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- The consequences of inadequate housing and homelessness are severe, with implications for almost every other human right, including the rights to health, education, protection of the family, social security, work and, in many cases, life. Malaria, cholera, dengue fever and many other diseases that continue to ravage the poor in tropical countries are closely linked to poor housing conditions, as are tuberculosis, pneumonia and many other illnesses affecting those who are homeless in northern climates. Yet, despite the severity of the consequences and the fundamental human rights that are involved, homelessness and inadequate housing are still often seen as the preserve of socioeconomic policy and as insulated from the kind of legal human rights accountability that is applied to government policies affecting other human rights. Even when housing is recognized as a human right, how it should be implemented is not always clear to States and other stakeholders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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