News

PRESS RELEASE – Kazakhstan: UN expert to focus on the transition to market economy and its impact on housing rights

Published in Monday September 6th, 2010 In News

ASTANA (6 September 2010) – UN Special Rapporteur Raquel Rolnik is visiting Kazakhstan from 6 to 13 September 2010 to examine and report on the status of realisation of the right to adequate housing and other related human rights in the country. “I intend to focus on the challenges that the transition to a market economy pose to the realisation of the right to adequate housing,” said Ms. Rolnik.

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Letters in support of housing rights of Roma communities in France

Published in Wednesday August 25th, 2010 In News

Diante das remoções em massa sofridas por comunidades ciganas na França,
a Relatora Especial da ONU para o Direito à Moradia Adequada, Raquel Rolnik,
enviou uma “letter of allegation” ao governo daquele país. Além disso,
o diretor executivo do COHRE (Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions) também
enviou uma carta na qual expõe a situação e cobra do governo francês a
imediata interrupção das remoções e a garantia do direito à moradia aos
que já foram expulsos.

Considering the forced evictions and mass expulsion suffered by Roma communities
in France, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing,
Raquel Rolnik, sent a letter of allegation to the government of that country.
In addition, the executive director of COHRE (Centre on Housing Rights
and Evictions) also sent a letter in which exposes the situation and urges
the French government to stop evictions and garantee the right to housing
to Roma people, including those who have been expelled.

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Hundreds of thousands face forced eviction in Port Harcourt, in violation of human right standards

Published in Wednesday August 18th, 2010 In News

Notícia disponível apenas em Inglês:

13 August 2010 The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), an
international human rights organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, today
wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan to express grave concern about reports
of an impending forced eviction of 350,000 people in Port Harcourt by the
Rivers State government.

The letter was copied to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.

13 August 2010 The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), an
international human rights organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, today
wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan to express grave concern about reports
of an impending forced eviction of 350,000 people in Port Harcourt by the
Rivers State government.

The letter was copied to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.

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Serbian Roma families facing forced eviction

Published in Thursday August 12th, 2010 In News

Notícia disponível apenas em Ingês:

3 August 2010 – AI Index: PRE01/268/2010

Amnesty International today urged the Belgrade authorities to halt plans
to destroy a Roma settlement amid fears that an eviction could be imminent.

At least 70 families living in an informal settlement in the Vidikovac
area of the Serbian capital, many of whom fled there after being forcibly
evicted from other sites, could be left homeless again if the demolition
goes ahead. “The authorities have yet to find a long-term solution for
Roma who, after seeing their homes repeatedly destroyed, live in constant
fear of being evicted at any time without warning,? said Sian Jones, Amnesty
Internationals expert on Serbia.

3 August 2010 – AI Index: PRE01/268/2010

Amnesty International today urged the Belgrade authorities to halt plans
to destroy a Roma settlement amid fears that an eviction could be imminent.

At least 70 families living in an informal settlement in the Vidikovac
area of the Serbian capital, many of whom fled there after being forcibly
evicted from other sites, could be left homeless again if the demolition
goes ahead. “The authorities have yet to find a long-term solution for
Roma who, after seeing their homes repeatedly destroyed, live in constant
fear of being evicted at any time without warning,? said Sian Jones, Amnesty
Internationals expert on Serbia.

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PRESS RELEASE – Problems from the past and challenges for the future in post conflict Croatia

Published in Tuesday July 13th, 2010 In News

ZAGREB (13 July 2010) – UN Special Rapporteur Raquel Rolnik urged on Tuesday* the Croatian authorities to keep moving forward on housing rights issues in the context of the transition and post-conflict recovery, and adopt clear policies to face present and future housing challenges.

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Completed today the UN Special Rapporteur’s mission in Croatia

Published in Tuesday July 13th, 2010 In News

Leia o texto apresentado ao governo croata e à imprensa por Raquel Rolnik,
relatora especial da ONU para o Direito à Moradia Adequada, ao final de
sua missão à Croácia.

Read the text presented to the Croatian government and the press by Raquel
Rolnik, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, in the
end of her mission to Croatia.

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PRESS RELEASE – Croatia: UN expert to focus on housing rights in post conflict Croatia

Published in Thursday July 1st, 2010 In News

GENEVA (1 July 2010) – UN Special Rapporteur Raquel Rolnik will visit Croatia from 5 to 13 July 2010 to assess housing rights in post-conflict Croatia. This will be the first mission to the country by an expert designated by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination.

Kicked Out for the Cup?

Published in Monday June 7th, 2010 In News

Notícia disponível apenas em inglês:

South Africa is accused of clearing Cape Town slums to clean up for the
big event.

Victor Gumbi sits pensively beside a smoldering fire in a newly cleared
lot, literally in the shadow of the recently renovated Ellis Park Stadium,
one of the many venues where South Africa will host the World Cup football
tournament, which kicks off this week. South Africa billed the worlds
most popular sporting event as a boon to development that would help lift
millions out of poverty, but Gumbi, a 35-year-old day laborer, says things
are only getting worse. Not long after South Africa was awarded the tournament,
an entire city block in the neighborhood where he lives was slated for
destruction as part of a larger urban-regeneration scheme around the stadium,
as Johannesburg began preparing for the throngs of tourists expected to
come pouring in over the next few weeks.

South Africa is accused of clearing Cape Town slums to clean up for the
big event.

Victor Gumbi sits pensively beside a smoldering fire in a newly cleared
lot, literally in the shadow of the recently renovated Ellis Park Stadium,
one of the many venues where South Africa will host the World Cup football
tournament, which kicks off this week. South Africa billed the worlds
most popular sporting event as a boon to development that would help lift
millions out of poverty, but Gumbi, a 35-year-old day laborer, says things
are only getting worse. Not long after South Africa was awarded the tournament,
an entire city block in the neighborhood where he lives was slated for
destruction as part of a larger urban-regeneration scheme around the stadium,
as Johannesburg began preparing for the throngs of tourists expected to
come pouring in over the next few weeks.

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Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council

Published in Monday May 31st, 2010 In News

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council

Adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequatestandard of living, in the context of mega-events

Human Rights Council / Thirteenth session / Agenda item 3

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Right to housing legal challenge launched today

Published in Thursday May 27th, 2010 In News

Everyone in Canada has the right to a home – and the federal government has a responsibility to realize that right. That’s the basis of a legal challenge http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2010/26/c6474.html launched today by a coalition of housing and legal advocates. The Wellesley Institute is providing policy support to the new coalition, including expert evidence on funding and legislative decisions by the federal government over the past two decades. I’ve provided detailed numbers on housing funding, programs and policy decisions that have been incorporated into the affidavit of Dr David Hulchanski, who is the leading expert witness for the coalition.

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