January 27, 2012
GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, Raquel Rolnik, will visit Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory from 29 January to 12 February 2012. Among other issues, the mission will examine challenges in access to adequate housing and housing affordability, the situation of groups vulnerable to discrimination, forced evictions and access to construction materials.
“I will pay attention to the difficulties faced by both Israelis and Palestinians in their efforts to realize their right to housing. I look forward to visit their communities and hear about their experiences”, said the expert.
During this mission, the Special Rapporteur will meet with representatives from the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority, as well as from international organizations and civil society. In Israel, she will visit communities in Tel Aviv, Haifa, the Negev Desert and Galilee. In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, she will visit communities in East Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley and the Gaza Strip.
On 12 February 2012, the Special Rapporteur will present her preliminary findings on this mission at a Press Conference in Jerusalem.
ENDS
Raquel Rolnik (Brazil) was appointed as Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context by the United Nations Human Rights Council, in May 2008. As Special Rapporteur, she is independent from any government or organization and serves in her individual capacity. An architect and urban planner, Rolnik has extensive experience in the area of housing and urban policies.
For more information and press inquiries, please contact: Marcelo Daher (+41-22 917 94 31) or write to srhousing@ohchr.org
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