A/69/274 resolution 2002/49, Mr. Kothari carried out substantive work between 2002 and 2006 on women’s equal ownership of, access to and control over land and equal rights to own property and to adequate housing. He also undertook a thematic study on discrimination. In 2011, Ms. Rolnik followed up on that body of work, devoting a thematic report to the issue of legal and policy advancements in t he area of women’s right to adequate housing (A/HRC/19/53). 12. Through country mission reports and communications, attention was also paid to particular groups of people who have been disproportionately affe cted by inadequate housing and homelessness, such as persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, children, migrants, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, Roma communities, and persons and communities living in situations of poverty and exclusion. The previous Rapporteurs also expressed concern about discrimination faced by ethnic and religious minorities and nomadic groups. 13. The mandate has recently addressed a number of other important and emerging thematic issues, including: (a) The global financial crisis; 2 (b) Housing policy options including homeownership, rental and cooperative housing; 3 (c) Post-disaster and post-conflict reconstruction; 4 (d) The impact of major international sports events (mega-events); 5 (e) Climate change. 6 III. Preliminary reflections: the implementation gap 14. The right to adequate housing has been the focus of extensive commentary. It was the subject of two general comments (Nos. 4 and 7) by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights before any other Covenant rights were similarly interpreted, and it is now one of the most considered economic, social and cultural rights. At the same time, as we move into the fifteenth year of the mandate and despite considerable efforts by civil society to ensure its realization, the wellelaborated norms and commentary on this right have not necessarily been translated into substantive progress. 15. The global extent of the phenomenon of homelessness is neither well known nor well documented. Global figures are scarce, and country-specific data are often incomplete and usually not comparable with those of other countries owing to differences in definitions and methodologies. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that at the domestic level, this statistical invisibility of a population can mean its neglect in the design of public policy and an absence of adequate responses. At the global level, it may conceal an acute global human rights crisis being faced by millions. __________________ 2 3 4 5 6 14-58890 See A/HRC/10/7. See A/67/286 and A/68/289. See A/66/270. See A/HRC/13/20. See A/64/255. 5/20