Linked with International NGO Committee on Human Rights in Trade and Investment INCHRITI.
Mr. Kothari is a leading voice at national, regional and international forums on human rights, especially economic, social and cultural rights. Mr. Kothari was appointed in September 2000 by the UN Commission on Human Rights as the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing. His mandate involves reporting annually to the Commission on the status throughout the world of the realisation of the rights that are related to the right to adequate housing, and identifying practical solutions and good practices towards this end. In addition, the Commission requested the Special Rapporteur to promote cooperation among and assistance to Governments in their efforts to secure these rights: apply a gender perspective in the work, and develop regular dialogue and collaboration with Governments, relevant UN bodies, specialised agencies, civil society and international financial institutions. An architect by training, Mr. Kothari, who resides in New Delhi, India, has extensive experience in the area of housing and land rights. He is the convener of the Habitat International Coalition’s Housing and Land Rights Network and is a founding member of the International NGO Committee on Human Rights in Trade and Investment INCHRITI. (full text).
Read: Call for plan to solve housing ‘crisis’ (in Australia), June 11, 2007.
Miloon Kothari – India
He says: « The creation of slums in Nairobi and other urban centres is a sign of lack of planning. It is shocking to see the scale of poverty across the country. When you look at the gross inequalities which have led to an apartheid situation in which a few people occupy the large portions of land and large populations live in small areas: a lot of it has come through political corruption. It is obviously a creation of two Kenyas, one with a lot of land and wealth, the other more dispossessed. The common thread should be how do you meet the needs of the most vulnerable people, and human rights should be the basic theme. If they want to discourage slums, they must take clear action against the shack-owner phenomenon and land mafia, which are connected with local authorities ». (full text of the interview).
(And he) said, his report on his mission to Australia was based on a very wide range of sources, and he did not think that these credible organizations could be dismissed as being interest groups. He stood by his conclusion that the continuing problem of homelessness in a developed country was deplorable and needed to be credibly addressed. He welcomed the efforts of Spain to tackle corruption and to protect vulnerable groups. (full text of all other UN rapporteurs).
Listen at his 5 (spanish) videos.
Read: Privatising human rights – the impact of globalisation on adequate housing, water and sanitation, by MILOON KOTHARI.
“The right to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food, clothing and housing”, has been widely recognised as an important human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights. The Covenant, as well as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, also recognises that women and men have equal rights to an adequate standard of living, which includes the right to adequate housing. (full text).
Mr. Miloon Kothari (India) was appointed Special Rapporteur in September 2000, for a period of three years, following the Commission on Human Rights resolution 2000/9. An architect by training, Mr. Kothari has extensive experience in the area of housing rights. He is the convener of the Housing and Land Rights Committee of Habitat International Coalition and is an advisor to the Youth for Unity of Voluntary Action, India’s leading organization on housing rights. He has also worked actively to promote the realization of the whole range of economic, social and cultural rights. His mandate as Special Rapporteur includes: (full text).
THE United Nations Special Rapporteur on housing has condemned Australia for failing to implement the human right to adequate housing, warning that groups such as indigenous people and women are missing out on safe and affordable accommodation. During a trip around Australia last year — which took in Aboriginal communities, shelters for domestic violence victims and public housing — Miloon Kothari found « reductions in public housing stock, soaring private rental rates, an acknowledged housing affordability crisis and no real reduction in the number of homeless » … To this end, the Special Rapporteur encourages relevant government staff to visit and reside in indigenous communities, in order to better comprehend the reality and the challenges faced by the populations and communities in these locations. (full text), May 31, 2007.
The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, Miloon Kothari has described the « non-response » by the African Union (AU) and Southern Africa to the « oppressive » Zimbabwean government as « shocking » and unhelpful ». The attack comes two years after the official launch of rendering homeless to over a million Zimbabweans, May 23, 2007. (full text).
Interview with Human Rights Special Rapporteur Miloon Kothari on Adequate Housing in Iran.
links:
Fifth Session of Human Rights Council ? One Year Concludes, June 8, 2007;
Afghanistan: war crimes amnesty prepares further atrocities, May 30, 2007;