NGOs’ Roundtable

Assets and Struggles: 30 Years After Vancouver Habitat Forum – Realizing the Right to Adequate Housing, Sustainable Habitat and Inclusive Cities

Organized in cooperation with Habitat International Coalition

Prior to the roundtable, an online debate will be held to review the efforts towards “building a community with the people” and its current meaning in the context neo-liberal policies. The debate will undertake a critical review of international commitments and plans of action following UN conferences, councils and forums aimed at the progressive realization of the Right to Adequate Housing. It will also assess gender approaches in defending the right to the city, land and housing. The results of this online discussion will be presented at the roundtable.

The roundtable will discuss case studies on people’s efforts in defending their right to live in peace and dignity (such as the Harare evictions, Katrina and the post-tsunami rehabilitation). Also, the MDG 7 – Target 11 on “Cities Without Slums” initiatives will be reviewed in the light of Vancouver 1976 and further international commitments and plans of actions.

Co-chairs:

• Michael Shapcott, Senior Fellow in Residence, Wellesley Institute, Canada
• Evaniza Rodrigues, Regional Representative of SERVIP, União Nacional de Moradia, Brazil