The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing Raquel Rolnik has just completed her mission to Argentina, where she has been between April 13th and 21st. After visiting the country, where she met with representatives of the government, civil society organizations and citizens, she presented her preliminary findings. The final report will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2012.
This report has the summary of communications sent and replies received from following Governments and other actors: Bangladesh, Brazil, China (People’s Republic of), Colombia, Egypt, France, Honduras, India, Italy, Kenya, México, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Serbia, Syrian Arab Republic, Tchad, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland In the context of his […]
December, 21st
Raquel Rolnik
Within the past week, the Olymipic plan for the city of Rio de Janeiro has revealed a strong ambiguity in the quality of large urban development
projects. Investments in public infrastructure, transport and sporting facilities arrive at the same pace as regrettable episodes of basic human rights violations and disrespect for the human condition.
In the West Zone of Rio, since December 15th, horror and tension have characterized the experience of countless families. Reports received from residents, on-lookers and the Public Defenders of Rio de Janeiro detail the abuse of power and state of exception which has been established along the edges of Av. das Américas, which cuts through the communities of Vila Recreio II, Vila Harmonia and Restinga do Recreio dos Bandeirantes.
Within the past week, the Olymipic plan for the city of Rio de Janeiro has revealed a strong ambiguity in the quality of large urban development projects. Investments in public infrastructure, transport and sporting facilities arrive at the same pace as regrettable episodes of basic human rights violations and disrespect for the human condition.
The following video is an excerpt from a recording made one of these mornings in which the machines advanced over homes in the community of Restinga.
By Simon Kuper Hosts need to understand what a World Cup is: a party – it is fun, but costs money On Sunday Dilma Rousseff will probably be voted president of Brazil. Soon afterwards she should get on her plane and visit the poor South African town of Nelspruit. There she will see the football stadium […]
By Priscila Néri | November 23rd, 2010
Posted from Brazil, where WITNESS attended the Seminar
“Megaevents: Urban Impacts and Human Rights Violations” as a part of our global campaign on Forced Evictions in the name of Development.
For the past 20 years, the roughly 1000 families that live in Vila Autódromo, a low-income community in western Rio de Janeiro, have been fighting off eviction.
Vila Autódromo, a low-income community in western Rio de Janeiro, havebeen fighting off eviction.
The City Statute (Law No. 10.257/2001) was adopted in 2001 to regulate articles 182 and 183 of the Brazilian Constitution, which state that municipalities shall set up urban development policies for the realization of the ‘social function of cities’, aiming at the wellbeing of their inhabitants.
The Social Interest Housing System was established in Brazil by the Federal Law Nº 11.124, in June 16th, 2005. The law’s objective is to detail the principles and rules under which public initiatives concerning the right to housing will be developed.