HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT

The Vienna Human Rights Declaration, 1993, reaffirmed human rights as universal, indivisible, interconnected, and interrelated. In the spirit of this established truth it is evident that the human right of every woman, man, youth and child to a secure place to live in peace and dignity is a prerequisite of social justice. Security of home is essential for people to be able to benefit from the human rights to equal access to civic services, to potable water, to a safe and healthy environment, to primary health care, to education, and gainful employment. The gaining and retention of the human right to adequate housing is essential for the security and progress of individuals and communities and thus a critical basis in society for the attainment of justice and dignity.

Governments, at the world conferences in Vienna, Copenhagen and Beijing, recognized the promotion, respect and protection of human rights as the fundamental basis for their plans of action. Now, in Istanbul, governments must develop the Habitat Agenda within a human rights frame of reference so that equitable conditions are created for millions of people to be able to fulfill life in sustainable human settlements.

Therefore, the World Conference on Human Settlements - Habitat II- in June 1996, must be recognized as a human rights conference.

However, in the preparatory process for Habitat II, a handful of governments have challenged the existence of a distinct human right to adequate housing ignoring its repeated affirmation in the most basic international human rights documents:

** The Universal Declaration of Human Right, article 25(1) * The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, article 11(1) * The Convention of the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, article 5(e)(iii) * The Convention of the Status of Refugees, article 21 * The International Convention on the Rights of The Child 27(3) * The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, article 14(2)(h)**

Moreover, the Vancouver Declaration on Human Settlements, The Global Shelter Strategy and Agenda 21 reaffirmed the human right to adequate housing.

The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (in General Comment #4, 1991), the UN Center of Human Settlements (in its housing rights strategy -HS/C/15/INF.7), the High Commissioner for Human Rights (in his position paper to Habitat II) and other human rights bodies have clarified the significance and content of the human right to adequate housing in ways that leave no doubt about its distinct existence and central importance to the Global Plan of Action on Human Settlements (the Habitat Agenda) to be adopted in Istanbul in June 1996.

The core elements of the human right to adequate housing include: security of tenure, non-discrimination in relation to housing; rights of tenants and other dwellers to organize freely; preferential access for vulnerable groups; and the development of effective remedies to protect individuals and communities against human rights violations. We believe, contrary to the current draft Habitat Agenda, that the free market cannot be the sole arbiter and delivery system to tackle the immense problems facing people and communities living in inadequate housing and living conditions. It is imperative that governments and communities understand their obligations to promote and realize the human right to adequate housing.

To promote and ensure, therefore, the human right of every women, man, youth, and child to a place to live in security and dignity we launch the enclosed petition. In solidarity with the world community that seeks justice , peace and sustainable human settlements we proclaim that the affirmation of the human right to adequate housing is a fundamental challenge facing the world's Governments at Habitat II. If the courage and will to meet this challenge is not found then peaceful communities cannot be sustained and human development in dignity and security cannot be achieved.

We are calling for a campaign to collect one million signatures for the Petition: Housing is a Human Right, to be presented in Istanbul. We propose that you join us in a two stage process:

1. As an organization concerned with social justice, we urge you to co-sign with us and solicit other organizations support for the petition as printed below. Please, send us your agreement to appear as a co-signer no later than April 10, 1996. By April 15, we will send to you the final petition that will include all the organizations supporting the petition.

2. We ask you to organize, as soon as possible, a drive to enhance understanding in your community about the human right to housing and start collecting individuals signatures for the Petition. We suggest that during May 1 - 15 a special solidarity drive to raise signatures for the petition through events and seminars will be organized by you.

We would be happy to send you materials to support your actions. This effort is being coordinated by:

The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions - COHRE
8, rue Gustave Moynier, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel/fax. 41.22.7388167, e-mail: Miloon@unv.ch;

The Independent Commission on Human Rights Education and its Secretariat
The People's Decade for Human Rights Education - PDHRE
526 West 111 Street, New York, NY 10025, USA
Tel: (212) 746-3156 fax: (212) 666-6325; peopledechre@igc.apc.org

Youth for Unity of Voluntary Action
8,Gr. Fl 33/L Mhatre Bldg., Mughbhat Cross Lane, Mumbai - 400004,
India. tel: 91.22.3889811; fax: 91.22.3853139;
E-mail: yuva@giasbm01.vsn1.net.in

Habitat International Coalition
Cordobanes 24, San Jose Insurgentes, 03900 Mexico, D.F. Mexico
Tel: 525.6516807; fax: 525.5935194; e-mail: hic@laneta.apc.org

We, the undersigned. individuals and representatives of numerous organizations of the global civil society, appeal to the governments assembled in Istanbul, in June 1996, at the World Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) to reaffirm and strengthen the human right to adequate housing in the documents it adopts. This human right is well established in international human rights law. It is an essential prerequisite so that millions of people will be able to live in sustainable human settlements the world over.

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Please, sign, copy and circulate this petition and the cover page to individuals and organizations who will join this effort to see that the human right to adequate housing is unequivocally reaffirmed by Habitat II.

Please send the signed petition to:

The People's Decade for Human Rights Education - PDHRE
526 West 111 Street, New York, NY 10025, USA
Tel: (212) 746-3156 fax: (212) 666-6325; peopledechre@igc.apc.org

This petition is on the World Wide Web at http://www.igc.apc.org/habitat/petition.html