EXTRACT FROM THE UN MANUAL ON HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTING

3. The right to adequate housing

(a) Please furnish detailed statistical information about the housing situation in your country.

(b) Please provide de tailed information about those groups within your society that are vulnerable and disadvantaged with regard to housing. Indicate, in particular:

(i) The number of homeless individuals and families;

(ii) The number of individuals and families currently inadequately housed and with out ready access to basic amenities such as water, heating (if necessary), waste disposal, sanitation facilities, electricity, postal services, etc. (in so far as you consider these amenities relevant in your country). Include the number of people living in over- crowded, damp, structurally unsafe housing or other conditions which affect health;

(iii) The number of persons currently classified as living in “illegal” settlements or housing;

(iv) The number of persons evicted within the last five years and the number of persons currently lacking legal protection against arbitrary eviction or any other kind of eviction;

(v) The number of persons whose housing expenses are above any government-set limit of affordability, based upon ability to pay as a ratio of income;

(vi) The number of persons on waiting lists for obtaining accommodation, the average length of waiting time and measures taken to decrease such lists as well as to assist

those on such lists in finding temporary housing;

(vii) The number of persons in different types of housing tenure by: social or public housing; private rental sector; owner-occupiers; “illegal” sector; and other;

(c) Please provide information on the existence of any laws affecting the realization of the right to housing, including:

(i) Legislation which gives substance to the right to housing in terms of defining the content of this right;

(ii) Legislation such as housing acts, homeless person acts, municipal corporation acts, etc.;

(iii) Legislation relevant to land use, land distribution; land allocation, land zoning, land ceilings, expropriations including provisions for compensation; land planning, including procedures for community participation;

(iv) Legislation concerning the rights of tenants to security of tenure, to protection from eviction; to housing finance and rental control (or subsidy), housing affordability, etc.;

(v) Legislation concerning building codes, building regulations and standards and the provision of infrastructure;

(vi) Legislation prohibiting any and all forms of discrimination in the housing sector, including groups not traditionally protected;

(vii) Legislation prohibiting any form of eviction;

(viii) Any legislative repeal or reform of existing laws which detracts from the fulfilment of the right to housing;

(ix) Legislation restricting speculation on housing or property, particularly when such speculation has a negative impact on the fulfilment of housing rights for all sectors of society;

(x) Legislative measures conferring legal title to those living in the “illegal” sector;

(xi) Legislation concerning environmental planning and health in housing and human settlements.

(d) Please provide information on all other measures taken to fulfil the right to housing, including:

(i) Measures taken to encourage “enabling strategies” whereby local community- based organizations and the “informal sector” can build housing and related services. Are such organizations free to operate? Do they receive government funding?

(ii) Measures taken by the State to build housing units and to increase other construction of affordable, rental housing;

(iii) Measures taken to release unutilized, under-utilized or mis-utilized land;

(iv) Financial measures taken by the State including details of the budget of the Ministry of Housing or other relevant Ministry as a percentage of the national budget;

(v) Measures taken to ensure that inter national assistance for housing and human settlements is used to fulfil the needs of the most disadvantaged groups;

(vi) Measures taken to encourage the development of small and intermediate urban centres, especially at the rural level;

(vii) Measures taken during, inter alia, urban renewal programmes, redevelopment projects site upgrading, preparation for international events (Olympics, exhibitions, conferences, etc.), “beautiful city campaigns”, etc., which guarantee protection from eviction or guaranteed rehousing based on mutual agreement, by any persons living on or near affected sites;

(e) During the reporting period, have there been any changes in national policies, laws and practices negatively affecting the right to adequate housing? If so, please describe the changes and evaluate their impact.

4. Please give specifics on any difficulties or shortcomings encountered in the fulfilment of the rights enshrined in Article 11 and on the measures taken to remedy these situations (if not already described in the present report).

5. Please indicate the role of international assistance in the full realization of the rights enshrined in Article 11.