Right to decent housing
Introduction
The universal right to decent and adequate housing, as one of the human rights, is included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in its article 25, section 1 and in article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR):.
General aspects
Although it is not a mandatory or binding document for States, it served as the basis for the creation of the two international conventions of the UN, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, agreements that were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 2200 A (XXI), of December 16, 1966.
In accordance with paragraph 1 of article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the United Nations Social Rights Committee[4] says that the States Parties "recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to an improvement and continuation of living conditions." Recognized in this way, the human right to adequate housing is of fundamental importance for the enjoyment of all economic, social and cultural rights.
In some States, the right to adequate housing is enshrined in the National Constitution; in others, however, it has gone further and specific laws have been made. In any case, it is important to verify the possibility that citizens can legally demand, before the relevant courts, compliance with these rights by the administrations. The Right to housing, when not specifically included, can be directly deduced from the fulfillment of human rights recognized in international treaties and therefore from decent living conditions.[5].
There are international research projects, such as TENLAW, for example, that offer the opportunity to conduct international research on the right to housing, as well as establish international research networks such as the European Network for Housing Research, which unites more than 500 researchers from 41 different countries, around the world.[6].