News

Britain Pledges to Curtail Benefits for Immigrants

Prime Minister David Cameron promised more stringent rules Monday to reduce outsiders’ access to social, health and housing benefits, reflecting a fraught debate in Britain over the potential impact of increased immigration from southeast Europe that could fuel a rightist threat to his Conservative Party.
The prospect that citizens from Bulgaria and Romania could gain unfettered access to the British labor market under European Union rules has raised alarms among some Britons about competition for jobs, strengthening anti-immigrant sentiment and helping fuel the insurgent United Kingdom Independence Party.

India’s Slumdog census reveals poor conditions for one in six urban dwellers

Nearly 64 million Indians live in a degrading urban environment.

Immigrants banned from housing waiting lists for up to five years

The Prime Minister will use a speech on Monday to make it clear that he believes tough new moves on housing are needed because Britain became a “soft touch” for immigrants during the years Labour were in power. In what is being billed as a landmark address on the subject, he will vow to bring to an end a situation where people can come to Britain and get benefits and public services without putting anything in, according to aides.

Land evictions on despite Museveni directive in Uganda

Less than a month since President Yoweri Museveni issued a stern warning against illegal land evictions, the vice seems to be escalating, especially in the central region. This week, a businessman, Robert Mulindwa, threatened to evict over 100 residents of Nangabo in Wakiso district. According to residents, Mulindwa hired Price Company, a private firm, to survey the land without their consent.

Federal Court Victory for Homeless Advocates in the US

In a ruling issued earlier today in Washington, D.C., a federal court denied the Obama Administration’s motion to set aside a 1993 court order against the federal government requiring compliance with Title V of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, a law that gives homeless services providers access to unused federal properties for free.

The World Bank must stop underwriting human rights abuses in Ethiopia

A leaked World Bank report calls for an investigation into allegations that a multi-billion dollar aid program in Ethiopia is underwriting the forced relocation of hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities to free up fertile land to lease to investors.

Ne büntesd a szegénységet – Don’t let homelessness become a crime!

Watch the video against the criminalization of homelessness in the Hungarian Constitution.

Az alkotmány nem játék! – The constitution is not a plaything!

Watch the video below regarding the criminalization of homelessness in Hungary.

Middle East/North Africa Land Forum IV

The Habitat International Coalition’s Housing and Land Rights Network announces the convening of the fourth Land Forum in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region. Every edition of the Land Forum series brings together activists, scholars, NGOs and community leaders to explore cases, present land struggles and exchange experiences that set the research and advocacy agenda for the MENA region. This year’s Land Forum will take place alongside the events of the World Social Forum, in Tunis, Tunisia, during the week of 24 March 2013.

Collection and mapping of cases of extractive industries in or near indigenous territories

The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples requests information about extractive and energy industry projects in or near indigenous territories. Indigenous peoples, NGOs that work with them, Governments, companies, and other interested parties are invited to provide information about cases of extractive industries (mining, petroleum, or gas projects) and energy production (such as hydroelectric projects) in or near indigenous territories.