The UN Special Rapporteur, Raquel Rolnik, presented her new thematic report on March 4th, 2013, during the Human Rights Council 22nd session.
In the report, the Special Rapporteur elaborates upon the concept of security of tenure as a component of the right to adequate housing. The backdrop is one of a global tenure insecurity crisis, manifesting itself in many forms and contexts – forced evictions, displacement resulting from development, natural disasters and conflicts and land grabbing – and evident in the millions of urban dwellers living under insecure tenure arrangements.
The Special Rapporteur discusses existing guidance under international human rights law, raising questions regarding the precise State obligations with respect to ensuring security of tenure. She examines the wide range of existing tenure arrangements, and the prevalent focus in policy and practice on one form of tenure: individual freehold. The Special Rapporteur also discusses selected operational and policy challenges pertaining to securing tenure. She concludes by underscoring the need for more specific and comprehensive human rights and operational guidance on security of tenure.
