RES/13/10 Adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, in the context of mega-events

GE.10-12845

Human Rights Council Thirteenth session Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council*

13/10 Adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, in the context of mega-events

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling all previous resolutions on adequate housing of the Council and the Commission on Human Rights, in particular Council resolution 6/27 of 14 December 2007 and Commission resolution 2004/28 of 16 April 2004,

Reaffirming that international human rights law instruments, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, entail obligations and commitments of States parties in relation to access to adequate housing,

Recalling the principles and commitments with regard to adequate housing enshrined in the relevant provisions of declarations and programmes adopted by major United Nations conferences and summits and at special sessions of the General Assembly and by their follow-up meetings, inter alia, the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements and the Habitat Agenda (A/CONF.165/14), and the Declaration on Cities and Other Human Settlements in the New Millennium adopted at the twenty-fifth special session of the Assembly, and annexed to its resolution S-25/2 of 9 June 2001,

Noting the work of the United Nations treaty bodies, in particular the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, in the promotion of the rights related to adequate housing, including its general comments Nos. 4, 7, 9 and 16,

* The resolutions and decisions of the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of the

Council on its thirteenth session (A/HRC/13/56), chap. I.

Concerned that any deterioration in the general housing situation disproportionally affects persons living in conditions of poverty, low-income earners, women, children, persons belonging to minorities and indigenous peoples, migrants, the elderly and persons with disabilities,

Recognizing that “mega-events”, that is, large-scale events of limited duration and diverse nature, including major international sporting or cultural events, can provide a major opportunity to enhance the housing stock and to improve the related infrastructure in host countries,

1. Acknowledges with appreciation the work of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context, including the undertaking of country missions;

2. Acknowledges the Special Rapporteur’s annual report on the realization of the right to adequate housing in the context of mega-events (A/HRC/13/20);

3. Calls upon States, in the context of mega-events, to promote the right to adequate housing and to create a sustainable, development-oriented housing legacy, and to strive in this regard:

(a) To integrate housing concerns into the bidding and planning process at an early stage and, in this regard, to assess the impact on the affected population throughout the process, as appropriate;

(b) To ensure full transparency of the planning and implementation process and the meaningful participation of the affected local communities therein;

(c) To pay particular attention to persons belonging to vulnerable and marginalized groups, including by respecting the principles of non-discrimination and gender equality;

(d) To plan and develop the event venues with the post-event period in view, while taking into account the needs of socially disadvantaged persons for affordable housing;

(e) To ensure, consistent with the domestic legal framework and international human rights obligations, that the right to adequate housing of affected persons in the context of mega-events is respected, while giving due consideration to issues such as insecurity of tenure;

(f) To explore alternatives to evictions and to undertake any such evictions as may be necessary in accordance with the domestic legal framework and in full compliance with the relevant provisions of international human rights law, including those for adequate and effective remedies;

4. Encourages States to share with the Special Rapporteur good practices with regard to the realization of the right to adequate housing in the context of mega-events;

5. Requests the Special Rapporteur to consider, as appropriate, the issue of mega-events in the context of her work;

6. Notes with appreciation the cooperation extended to date to the Special Rapporteur by different actors, and calls upon States to continue to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur in the discharge of her mandate and to respond favourably to her requests for information and visits;

7. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to ensure that the Special Rapporteur receives the necessary resources to enable her to discharge her mandate fully;

8. Decides to continue its consideration of this matter under the same agenda item and in accordance with its programme of work.

42nd meeting 25 March 2010

[Adopted without a vote]