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DRAFTING GROUP ON A RIGHT TO HOUSING

The drafting group began with consideration of 44 (a right to housing) to preface negotiations on related paragraphs 13, 24, 25 and 48. The debate centered around the question of whether a right to housing is subsumed under the right to an adequate standard of living or whether it is a separate and distinct right. Consensus was reached by the end of the morning session that a combination of the proposals submitted by Slovenia and the EU should serve as a platform for further negotiations. The two delegations formulated a merged proposal which states that "since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, the right to adequate housing has been recognized as an important component of the right to an adequate standard of living." Actions by governments and all sectors of society are required to protect and ensure the realization of this right. Employing the enabling approach, government actions should include legal protection from housing discrimination, security of tenure and equal access to land, accessibility and affordability of housing, and effective monitoring and policy implementation. Although the Slovenia/EU proposal was considered the best compromise, consensus was ultimately blocked by the disagreement on the right to housing and on other details. The group did not complete 44 and the majority of the text was bracketed. The group continued negotiations during an evening session.