Forced evictions

“The practice of forced eviction constitutes a gross violation of human rights, in particular the right to adequate housing” (Commission on Human Rights, Resolution 1993/77)

Documents

Guidance

• Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment n°7
  Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish

• Basic principles and guidelines on development-based evictions and displacement
  Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish | Other languages

• Forced evictions Assessment Questionnaire

Forced evictions intensify inequality, marginalization and social conflicts and their impact goes beyond material loss. To learn about eviction impact assessment methodologies:

• Losing your Home , Assessing the impact of eviction (2011)

[Roma mother and boy living in an informal settlement of Belgrade, Serbia © Bahram Ghazi]

Displacement

“All authorities and international actors shall respect and ensure respect for their obligations under international law, including human rights and humanitarian law, in all circumstances, so as to prevent and avoid conditions that might lead to displacement of persons”. (Principle 5 of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement)

Documents

Guidance

• Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement
  
  
• Handbook on Housing and Property Restitution for Refugees and Displaced Persons: Implementing the "Pinheiro Principles" 
  English | French | Spanish
  
  
• Protecting Internally Displaced Persons: A Manual for Law and Policymakers (2008)
  
  
• IASC Framework on Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons (2010)
  
  
• IASC Operational Guidelines On The Protection Of Persons In Situations Of Natural Disasters (2011)
  

Links

• Natural Disasters and Internal Displacement

[Tent of a homeless person in a wood in Ottawa, Canada - © Bahram Ghazi]

Homelessness

“Homelessness is perhaps the most visible and most severe symptom of the lack of respect for the right to adequate housing.” (Special Rapporteur on adequate housing)

Documents

Poverty

Well over a billion people are not adequately housed. Millions around the world live in life- or health threatening conditions, in overcrowded slums and informal settlements, or in other conditions which do not uphold their human rights and their dignity.

Guidance