Balance of the Special Rapporteur’s work in 2012 – Newsletter #30

The Rapporteur begins 2013 at a fast pace: on March 4th, rapporteur Raquel Rolnik will present to the UN Human Rights Council her reports on Israel and Rwanda missions, which took place last year, and also on the official visit to the World Bank, undertaken in 2010. At the time, the rapporteur will also present a preliminary version of the thematic report on security of tenure, a topic which will continue being worked by the mandate throughout the year. Soon, all these reports will be posted on our website. In the meantime, see below a summary of the Rapporteur’s main activities in 2012.

www.righttohousing.org

* Country missions and thematic reports
In 2012, Rapporteur Raquel Rolnik promoted official visits to Israel and Rwanda and developed thematic studies about financialization of housing and security of tenure.

* Reports presented
In March last year, the Rapporteur presented to the UN Human Rights Council the reports on the missions to Argentina and Algeria, undertaken in 2011, as well as the thematic report on women and right to housing. She also delivered the report on financialization of housing to the UN General Assembly. Unfortunately, due to the Hurricane Sandy, she was not able to present the report in person.

* Communications sent
In 2012, Rapporteur Raquel Rolnik sent 14 communications to the governments of 13 countries regarding complaints of violations to the right to housing. Click here to read the communications available. Learn how to file an official complaint to the Rapporteur.

* Composition and distribution of materials
The rapporteur ended the year with the distribution of a new leaflet – on megaevents and the right to adequate housing -, and also guides and leaflets about forced evictions and guides and leaflets on women, which have been reprinted.

* Working visits
Apart from the official missions, the rapporteur undertook working visits to Chile, to Barcelona, in Spain, toSt. Petersburg, in Russia, to Naples, in Italy, and to the cities of Fortaleza and Curitiba, in Brazil.