Promoting the realization of the

Promoting the realization of the right to adequate housing

Sub-Commission on Human Rights resolution 1993/36

The Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities,

Reaffirming the right of every woman, man and child to a safe and secure place to live in peace and dignity,

Deeply concerned that in excess of one billion persons are homeless or inadequately housed, in violation of their internationally recognized and legitimate human right to adequate housing,

Disturbed that, in spite of the broad recognition accorded to the right to housing in numerous international instruments, the housing conditions of citizens worldwide are deteriorating,

Disturbed also that housing rights have not been fully recognized, in particular through domestic laws and policies,

Recalling Commission on Human Rights decision 1993/103 of 4 March 1993 and resolutions 1988/24 of 7 March 1988, 1987/22 of 10 March 1987 and 1986/36 of 12 March 1986,

Taking note of resolution 14/6 adopted on 5 May 1993 by the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements at its fourteenth session,

Recalling its resolutions 1992/26 of 27 August 1992 and 1991/26 of 29 August 1991,

1. Expresses its appreciation to the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Rajindar Sachar, for his progress report on promoting the realization of the right to adequate housing (E/CN.4/Sub.2/1993/15), and endorses the preliminary conclusions and recommendations contained in paragraphs 159 to 165 of the report;

2. Welcomes, in particular, the analysis of State responsibility and the legal obligations arising from the human right to adequate housing, and the recognition of the need for increased international cooperation;

3. Strongly encourages all Governments to pursue effective policies and legislation aimed at creating conditions for ensuring the full realization of the right to adequate housing of the entire population, concentrating on those currently homeless or inadequately housed, and to take into account the particularly negative impact on housing and living conditions that may result from the adoption of economic adjustment and other policies based exclusively upon the dictates of the free market;

4. Decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur by one year to bring the length of his mandate into accordance with the practices of the Sub-Commission and to enable him to explore fully the issues arising from the right to adequate housing;

5. Requests the Special Rapporteur to submit to the Sub-Commission, at its forty-sixth session, a second progress report on promoting the realization of the right to adequate housing and to examine, inter alia, the necessity of adopting an international declaration or convention on the right to adequate housing;

6. Invites all Governments, United Nations bodies, the specialized agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations to provide the Special Rapporteur with information relevant to the preparation of his report;

7. Urges the Centre for Human Rights, and in particular the advisory services programme, to expand its expertise and make available to Governments, at their request, technical assistance on the legal and practical aspects of economic, social and cultural rights, in particular the right to adequate housing;

8. Requests the Secretary-General and the Centre for Human Rights to organize, prior to the completion of the Special Rapporteur's final report in 1995, an expert seminar on the subject "The right to adequate housing and the United Nations: towards a system-wide approach";

9. Also requests the Secretary-General to provide the Special Rapporteur with all the financial, technical and expert assistance that he may require to prepare his study and to compile and analyse the information, data, views and documents collected, including, as appropriate, assistance from consultants with expertise in the subject;

10. Decides to consider the second progress report of the Special Rapporteur at its forty-sixth session under the agenda item entitled "The realization of economic, social and cultural rights";

11. Recommends the following draft resolution to the Commission on Human Rights for adoption:

[For the text, see chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution IV. E/CN.4/Sub.2/1993/45]

33rd meeting
25 August 1993
[Adopted without a vote.]