March 21st, 2012
The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted today, during its 19th regular session, a resolution regarding adequate housing in the context of disaster settings. In its introduction, the resolution expresses the Council’s concern at the number and scale of natural disaster and weather events, which have resulted in massive loss of life and homes, as well as forced displacements and other negative consequences for all societies in the world. It also shows the necessity of a human rights-based approach as a factor to the realization of the right to adequate housing, and reinforces the importance of the principles of participation and empowerment of the affected people.
Among its urges to the states, the Council asked them to ensure that all affected people have equal access to adequate housing with all its components, without any discrimination and regardless of their previous tenure status. Also, the resolution urges the states to include the right to adequate housing as a key component of planning and implementation of disaster responses, and to give priority to the vulnerable people in its realization, integrating, as well, a gender perspective. The access to information and the participation of affected persons and communities in the planning and implementation of shelter and housing assistance was another important issue in the text.
The complete text of this resolution may be found here (only in English).
The UN Special Rapporteur for Adequate Housing, Raquel Rolnik, displayed in the end of 2011, during the 66th session of the General Assembly, a report on adequate housing in the context of post disaster and post conflict. The report is available here.
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