Thread by @adequatehousing

Today was the last day of @leilanifarha's 6-year tenure as Special Rapporteur on the #Right2Housing. 20+ countries, 12 reports and one whole social movement later, she moves on to lead @Make_TheShift which she founded the Shift as SR in partnership with @ohchr and @uclg_org. /1

She shared her reflections and insights in a virtual event via Zoom this morning which can be viewed here:

For those who missed it, read on for excerpts of her remarks on the state of the #Right2Housing. /2

It is so nice to be in your company, on this, my last day as UN Special Rapporteur on the right to housing. These are incredibly trying times and there is nothing for it, but to come together. To be together. To connect in whatever way we can. /3

I was appointed Special Rapporteur on May 8th, 2014. It happened to be my birthday. I can say, quite assuredly, it was the most exhausting birthday gift to have been given. But a gift it was indeed. A gift of adventure, of friendship, heartache, connection and growth. /4

I have learned so much these six years. so much of my essential learning has come from the hundreds of individuals and families in 20 or more countries who invited me into their homes – Starting in Cabo Verde and ending in New Zealand with many many other places along the way. /5

What I learned most from the people who served me tea, and juice and biscuits in their homes, or who talked, laughed or cried with me outside of often ramshackle structures, tents or cars where they were living –was about human dignity. /6

Human dignity is the core of human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”. Dignity is what binds us together – connects us – as the human family. /7

After 6 years of my tenure I have this to say: There is a global housing crisis. And it is a human rights crisis. And its been caused by the failure of governments to recognize and implement housing as a human right. The signs are everywhere. /8

And meanwhile global financial actors–supported by the laws and policies of governments–are allowed to wonder the streets of the world shopping for what they call assets, increasing rents, making housing unaffordable for the masses, and reaping massive profits as they do so. /9

COVID-19 has revealed something astonishing and ugly-that it takes a global pandemic that could wipe out humanity to get gov'ts to understand the relationship between housing + human life. But even that threat is not enough for gov'ts to guarantee the #Right2Housing for all. /10

And so my @Make_TheShift team and I know that we need to keep pushing for a shift in approach – where housing is no longer viewed as a commodity and is instead embraced as a fundamental human right. /11

Though I leave you as UN Special Rapporteur, I will not be leaving the pursuit of a better world, where enjoyment of the right to housing is the norm.

Interested in @leilanifarha's continued work? Follow @Make_TheShift

Congratulations to her successor, Balakrishnan Rajagopal!

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