From Housing Needs to Housing Rights: an Analysis of the Right to Adequate Housing under International Human Rights Law

This report seeks to provide an introductory and accessible framework for non-lawyers to use in understanding and grasping the issues associated with housing rights as currently found under the international human rights law.

It examines the role, status and mechanics of the law and gives detailed legal analysis of the texts pertaining to the right to housing, which will determine which states are legally bound to apply for housing rights and to what degree.

There is an examination of various national constitutional sources of human rights and a discussion as to how legal resources can be used as a form of empowerment.

The procedures and mandates of monitoring bodies are examined and their potential role in the implementation of housing rights assessed.

The report also looks at how to determine housing rights violations by states and offers suggestions to citizen groups and NGOs on how and where to use the existing law and implementation procedures to support their work.