Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

To meet <strong>the</strong>se objectives, <strong>the</strong> Consultation was structured to have two main components:
• Pre-consultation training on methodologies for monitoring and implementing women’s right to
adequate housing (2 days);
• Presentation <strong>of</strong> personal testimonies <strong>of</strong> housing rights violations to <strong>the</strong> Special Rapporteur on
Adequate Housing (2 days).
2.2 The UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing 3
Mr. Miloon Kothari (<strong>of</strong> India) was appointed by <strong>the</strong> UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) as
<strong>the</strong> Special Rapporteur for Adequate Housing (SRAH) (resolution 2000/9) in 2000. He was appointed
for a period <strong>of</strong> three years and had his term renewed for ano<strong>the</strong>r three years. The task <strong>of</strong> a special
rapporteur is to report to <strong>the</strong> UN Commission on Human Rights on <strong>the</strong> status <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> realisation <strong>of</strong>
specific rights or <strong>of</strong> rights in a specific country. Special rapporteurs collect information for <strong>the</strong>ir reports
through dialogue with States, UN bodies, civil society groups, and country missions. 4 The SRAH’s
specific mandate is to “focus on adequate housing as a component <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> right to an adequate standard
<strong>of</strong> living, as reflected in international instruments”. (resolution 2000/9)
The Special Rapporteur on Adequate housing has defined <strong>the</strong> right to adequate housing as:
“The human right to adequate housing is <strong>the</strong> right <strong>of</strong> every woman, man, youth and child to gain
and sustain a secure home and community in which to live in peace and dignity.” (E/CN.4/2001/
51, para. 8)
This broad definition enables him to include a wide range <strong>of</strong> related issues such as land, property,
inheritance, water, essential civic services and forced eviction in his consideration <strong>of</strong> housing issues.
Special Rapporteur’s focus on women and adequate housing
Since <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> his mandate <strong>the</strong> Special Rapporteur has always placed specific emphasis on
highlighting women’s right to adequate housing. In speaking about his mandate before <strong>the</strong> Commission
on Human Rights in 2003, <strong>the</strong> Special Rapporteur stated:
“In pursuing my mandate, I have followed a holistic approach, based on <strong>the</strong> reality that
all human rights are interrelated and indivisible. The right to adequate housing cannot
be fully realized if separated from o<strong>the</strong>r rights such as <strong>the</strong> rights to food, water, sanitation,
electricity, health, work, property, security <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> person, security <strong>of</strong> home, and protection
against inhuman and degrading treatment. This approach has required me to examine
a range <strong>of</strong> issues related to adequate housing, including land, forced eviction, access to
water and sanitation, health, poverty and <strong>the</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> globalisation. Within this broad
framework, my particular focus has been to develop a strong gender perspective, consistent
with <strong>the</strong> right to non-discrimination and on <strong>the</strong> rights <strong>of</strong> particular groups, such as
children, indigenous people and minorities.” 5
3
See Annex C for <strong>the</strong> full power point presentation.
4
See Annex D for an outline <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> methodologies used by <strong>the</strong> Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing.
5
Commission on Human Rights, Statement <strong>of</strong> Mr. Miloon Kothari, SRAH, 4 April 2003.
6 WOMEN’S RIGHTS TO ADEQUATE HOUSEING AND LAND