New Book | Housing and Land Rights in India: Status Report for Habitat III

Housing and Land Rights in India: Status Report for Habitat III

by Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN), New Delhi, 2016. ISBN: 9788190256988. 

Table of Contents

I.  | Introduction

II. | Urban Housing and Living Conditions

III.| Rural Housing, Land, and Living Conditions

IV. | Impacts of Disasters on Housing and Land

V.  | Conflict-Induced Displacement

VI. | Discrimination in Access to Housing and Land

VII.| Persecution of Housing and Land Rights Defenders

VIII.| Law and Policy Framework Related to Housing and Land

IX. | Recommendations to the Government of India

X.  | Recommendations to UN-Habitat for Habitat III

XI. | Conclusion

About the Report

Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN) works for the recognition, defence, promotion, and realization of the human rights to adequate housing and land, which involves securing a safe and secure place for all individuals and communities, especially marginalized communities, to live in peace and dignity. A particular focus of HLRN's work is on promoting and protecting the equal rights of women to adequate housing, land, property, and inheritance. HLRN aims to achieve its goals through advocacy, research, human rights education, and outreach and network-building – at local, national, and international levels. This report, prepared by HLRN and endorsed by several social movements and civil society organizations across India, aims to serve as a parallel report to the Government of India's official submission to UN-Habitat for the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), which will be held in October 2016 in Quito, Ecuador. The report analyzes India's implementation of the Habitat Agenda (1996) and documents the current status of housing and land rights in the country while highlighting related law and policy developments. It presents recommendations to the Government of India for the improvement of housing and living conditions in the country, and to UN-Habitat for the development of a human rights-based 'new agenda' at Habitat III. HLRN strongly believes that nation states and UN-Habitat must not ignore the rural dimension of habitat and must ensure that the 'new agenda' focuses on adopting a comprehensive human rights approach that incorporates the principles of indivisibility of human rights, gender equality, non-discrimination, progressive realization, non-retrogression, environmental sustainability, participation, accountability, and international cooperation. HLRN hopes that this report will help draw attention to critical issues related to the realization of housing and land rights in India, and will help promote the adoption of a human rights agenda at Habitat III that integrates the commitments of the Habitat Agenda and international law and standards.

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