Overview

  • UN-Habitat supports the efforts of national and local governments, civil society groups, and national human rights institutions (NHRI) in realising the Human Right to Adequate Housing.
  • More than 1.8 billion people worldwide lack adequate housing. Every year 2 million people are forcibly evicted, many more are threatened with evictions and some 150 million people worldwide are homeless.
  • Adequate housing is a human right enshrined in international human rights law. Failing to recognise, protect, and fulfil the Right to Adequate Housing results in the violation of a plethora of fundamental rights including the Right to Work, Education, Health, and Security.

News and Stories

Featured Stories & Videos

Featured Stories & Videos

UN-Habitat provided technical advice to
42
governments on how to conduct a comprehensive in-depth analysis of the urban housing sector and how to create a framework that enables the provision of adequate housing for all.
UN-Habitat in partnership with OHCHR and other stakeholders has successfully avoided evictions in
28
countries and assisted 16 regional and country offices in engaging with United Nation Human Rights Mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review.
UN-Habitat has produced
18
publications on the Right to Adequate Housing including prevention of forced evictions.

Videos

What are forced eviction?
Not Just A Roof
PUSH

Related Sustainable Development Goals

Related Sustainable Development Goals

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Donors and partners

UN-Habitat and OHCHR jointly launched the United Nations Housing Rights Program (UNHRP) in 2002. The overall goal of this initiative, launched and championed by the Executive Director of UN-Habitat and the High Commissioner on Human Rights, is to support governments, the civil society and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in their work on the advancement of the right to adequate housing. Under this programme, UN-Habitat supports the UN human rights mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Other joint activities include normative tools development and technical assistance for the States and other stakeholders in building and improving technical capacities for implementation and monitoring of housing rights. On the same topic UN-Habitat also works collaborate with UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing, particularly on the work of forced evictions prevention and housing rights advocacy.

Our Experts

Christophe Lalande
Housing Lead Specialist, Land, Housing & Shelter Section,
Urban Practices Branch, Global Solutions Division