Housing Is a Human Right

Affordable, secure and appropriate housing is a right, not a privilege, to all Australians. I'm proposing a campaign to make housing an issue – to get people motivated about it – to have safe, affordable and appropriate housing recognized as a right in Australia. Housing is recognized by many declarations as a right. However, the struggle here is to turn rights into realities. Many declarations of Rights hold housing in high esteem. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948, states that "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and his family, including … housing." Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recognizes " … the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing…" This same Covenant of Rights also states that "State Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right."

In Vienna, 1993, The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirmed the right of " …every human being to an adequate standard of living." Section 31 of the Program of Action of the World Conference on Human Rights recognizes " … the rights of everyone to a standard of living adequate for their health and wellbeing, including food and medical care, housing and the necessary social services." According to Human Rights Commissioner, Chris Sidoti's address at the National Conference on Homelessness (1996), an essential element to human survival with dignity is adequate housing. Sidoti reminds us that recent pledges of the United Nations Economic and Social Council reaffirmed "… the right of every man, woman and child to a safe and secure place to live in peace and dignity." This, argues Sidoti, should serve as the framework upon which housing issues and homelessness are approached in Australia.

The right to housing is recognized in Australia, by