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6.
In these resolutions, the Council has requested the Special Rapporteur to:
(a)
Promote the full realization of the right to adequate housing;
(b)
Identify challenges, obstacles, gaps in protection and best practices;
(c)
Emphasize practical solutions with regard to implementation;
(d)
Apply a gender perspective;
(e) Pay special attention to the needs of persons in vulnerable situations as
well as those belonging to marginalized groups;
(f)
Facilitate the provision of technical assistance;
(g) Work in close cooperation with other special procedures, United Nations
bodies, treaty bodies and regional human rights mechanisms;
(h)
Submit annual reports to the Council and the General Assembly.
7.
On 2 June 2014, Leilani Farha started her tenure as Special Rapporteur. She is
deeply appreciative of the work of her predecessors, Raquel Rolnik (2008 -2014) and
Miloon Kothari (2000-2008). They made significant contributions to the
advancement of both the understanding and the effective implementation of the right
to adequate housing, drawing attention to the experiences of individuals and
communities facing evictions and insecure tenure and those engaged in other
housing struggles. They shed light on acute human rights situations in which the
right to adequate housing was at stake and significantly advanced the understanding
of that right by giving audience to groups previously unheard from and engaging
with those living in diverse circumstances.
8.
The mandate on adequate housing has come a long way. It has examined an
ample range of issues in dialogue with States and other relevant stakeholders,
through thematic reports, country missions, working visits, guidance tools, expert
consultations and events, and urgent appeals and allegation letters.
9.
Addressing forced evictions and enhancing security of tenure have been
central themes of the mandate; hence, the subject of extensive consultation and
substantive studies. Both former Rapporteurs developed practical tools for assisting
States, those affected by forced evictions and other actors in gaining a better
understanding of the relevant human rights principles a nd their concrete application.
Two important guidance tools were produced: the basic principles and guidelines on
development-based evictions and displacement (2007) (A/HRC/4/18, annex I), and
the guiding principles on security of tenure for the urban poor (2014) ( see
A/HRC/25/54).
10. Ms. Rolnik focused on the crisis of tenure insecurity in an increasingly
urbanized world. Following extensive research and consulta tions, she proposed
10 principles to provide practical guidance for policymakers to be applied according
to specific country contexts. The current Special Rapporteur intends to follow up on
this important work and will encourage States to implement the gui ding principles
on security of tenure for the urban poor.
11. The previous Special Rapporteurs also considered the housing conditions and
experiences of members of vulnerable and marginalized groups. In this regard, the
mandate holders focused in particular on women and adequate housing in a series of
meetings and reports. As requested by the Commission on Human Rights in its
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