Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

The Habitat Agenda:
Commitments to Housing Rights
Para. 61 “Governments should take
appropriate action in order to promote,
protect and ensure <strong>the</strong> full and progressive
realization <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> right to adequate
housing.”
Website – http://www.unhchr.ch/housing
Over-riding Principles
Indivisibility
Self-determination
Non-discrimination principle
Gender Equality
Minimum core obligations
State obligations (respect, protect and
fulfil)
Progressive realization
International cooperation
Website – http://www.unhchr.ch/housing
Over-riding Principles
Indivisibility <strong>of</strong> all human rights
“All human rights and fundamental freedoms are indivisible and
interdependent; equal attention and urgent consideration should
be given to <strong>the</strong> implementation, promotion and protection <strong>of</strong> both
civil and political, and economic, social and cultural rights;
”The full realization <strong>of</strong> civil and political rights without <strong>the</strong>
enjoyment <strong>of</strong> economic, social and cultural rights is impossible;
<strong>the</strong> achievement <strong>of</strong> lasting progress in <strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong>
human rights is dependent upon sound and effective national and
international policies <strong>of</strong> economic and social development.”
— Vienna Declaration and Programme <strong>of</strong> Action (1993)
Website – http://www.unhchr.ch/housing
Over-riding Principles
Non-discrimination
Fundamental principle <strong>of</strong> human rights
Immediate obligation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> States
General Comments and Recommendations
by treaty bodies
Guidelines for action
Discrimination can be:
- direct discrimination
- indirect discrimination
- historical discrimination
- cross cutting discrimination
- intersectional discrimination
Website – http://www.unhchr.ch/housing
Over-riding Principles
Gender Equality
Women and men are guaranteed equal human rights under
international law.
The substantive equality model applied in CEDAW (Art. 2)
requies both equality <strong>of</strong> opportunity (de jure) and equality <strong>of</strong>
results (de facto) for <strong>the</strong> practical realization <strong>of</strong> rights.
Therefore <strong>the</strong>re needs to be:
– Equality <strong>of</strong> opportunity (law, policy, programmes and
affirmative action measures)
– Equality <strong>of</strong> access
– Equality <strong>of</strong> benefit
Website – http://www.unhchr.ch/housing
Over-riding Principles
Minimum core obligation
To immediately address <strong>the</strong> basic
housing needs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> population
To refrain from carrying out any
deliberately retrogressive measures
and <strong>the</strong> practice <strong>of</strong> forced eviction
Website – http://www.unhchr.ch/housing
Over-riding Principles
Over-riding Principles
Three levels <strong>of</strong> State obligations
Respect – to abstain from violations
Protect – to prevent <strong>the</strong> violations
Fulfil – to facilitate and provide through
legal and policy measures
Progressive realization
The concept <strong>of</strong> “progressive realization”
imposes <strong>the</strong> States a clear obligation to
move as expeditiously and effectively as
possible towards <strong>the</strong> full realization <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
right to adequate housing.
Website – http://www.unhchr.ch/housing
Website – http://www.unhchr.ch/housing
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 75