Housing Rights: the duty to ensure housing for all

Summary:

Across Europe, many people are experiencing great housing need. Significant numbers of people cannot access housing in the market, either to rent or buy. Some have nowhere to live or are afraid to live in their homes. Increasing numbers of people sleep in doorways, squats, abandoned buildings and other places unfit for human habitation. On another level, housing has become a marketable and valuable asset, as well as a home. At the same time, the provision of social and State housing has diminished. In this context, housing rights are gaining a growing relevance.
These rights can inspire and develop meaningful and effective responses, and promote equality and non-discrimination in housing systems.

This paper examines the housing crisis facing groups of people in Europe. It outlines the housing rights which have been accepted by countries within the Council of Europe (CoE), arising from United Nations (UN), CoE and European Union (EU) instruments. Obstacles to the effective enjoyment of housing rights are considered. But the paper draws attention to significant initiatives, including legislation in Scotland and France, CoE and EU endorsements of rights, and projects where people define and assert their housing rights.

Finally, a set of recommendations for the promotion of housing rights, as a key element of the enjoyment of all other human rights, is offered. The challenge is to make housing rights, which often originate in international law, meaningful and useful to those in housing need at local level.