The Right to Adequate Housing

Can people living informally on land be evicted?

In many of the world's developing countries, urban centers include large informal settlements where the residents and/or their landlords do not have legal title to be on the land. Although people living in these informal settlements are often the poorest residents in such a locality, they contribute significantly to the economy, for example through providing casual labor and running small businesses. However, since the government has failed to ensure that sufficient affordable land and housing is available for low-income communities are often forced to live in informal settlements.

Human rights, including the right to housing, also protect residents of informal settlements from forced eviction. Where the local government wants to use public land occupied by the poor, or help private persons recover land occupied by the poor, the local government should consult with the affected residents to minimize any relocation and to ensure that no-one is left homeless. The other protections mentioned above must also be put in place.

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