Sunday Times 2
Housing is a human right, stress Negombo’s poor as they mark World Habitat Day
Housing is a Human Right. Every human being has a right to a decent house. From the beginning of history, human beings had a shelter to live in whatever has been its form. In modern times, housing is recognised as a human right in a number of international human rights instruments.
The most important one among them is the UN Declaration of Human Rights. In that, the article 25 recognises the right to housing as part of the right to an adequate standard of living. It states that: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for health and wellbeing of oneself and one’s family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary social services.”
Another such instrument is Article 11(1) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) which guarantees the “right to housing as part of the right to an adequate standard of living.”
A right to all persons
This right must be provided to all persons, irrespective of one’s income or access to economic resources or one’s race, religion, age, economic status, group or other affiliation or status or any other such factor.
The issue of the right to adequate housing is all the more pertinent as it is one of the United Nations’ Millennium Declaration Goals.
When it says adequate housing it means providing security, health, sanitation, comfort, nutrition, drinking water, adequate privacy, space, lighting and ventilation, basic infrastructure and suitable location at a reasonable cost.
In the past, housing has always been a private responsibility. However, in Sri Lanka from the time of colonial rule, the State has recognised the responsibility of the State in this regard. As such, the State has intervened in providing guidelines, policies, rules and regulations and State mechanisms as well to ensure better housing facilities for people.
All governments during the past few decades have contributed to formulate the relevant policies, rules and regulations and mechanisms required in facilitating the provision of housing services to the people. For example, some of the measures that have been taken by the successive governments have been: house construction launched by the local governments, the enactment of the Rent Ordinance, the establishment National Housing Commission, Building Material Cooperation, National Housing Authority, Village Reawakening Programme and so on.
Housing in Negombo
In the 1970s, the Negombo Municipality having realised its responsibility regarding housing needs of the low income people, has built “Twin Houses” in the Munnakkara town area. In the 1980s, on the instructions of the then Prime Minister R. Premadasa, two major housing programmes were carried out in Munnakkara and Kadolkele.
However, all housing needs in Negombo have not been completely met. It still remains a burning need that has to be fulfilled by the authorities. Due to the fact that the authorities have failed to take note of this fact, the low income people in Negombo continue to undergo numerous hardships.
Human sufferings
Many of these families are forced to live in overcrowded houses. For instance, there are three or more families living in one small house. Their living environment is often very unhygienic.
The families which live in rented houses have their own problems. One major issue is the payment of rent. For an example, to pay the key money or the advance, they often burrow at high interest rates from money lenders and thereby they automatically fall into the trap of indebtedness.
When people take houses on rent, they are subjected to the conditions forced on them by the house owners. There have been instances when they were not permitted to have a wedding or even a funeral in these houses. They are unable to register themselves as voters or admit their children to schools as they do not have a permanent address. Consequently, these helpless people have been deprived of their basic rights.
Janawaboda Kendraya over the past few years has been engaged in helping these people to organise themselves as Negombo United People’s Organisation or (NUPO).
NUPO’s expectations:
On World’s Habitat Day (October 2), NUPO members will request the local authorities to recognise housing as a serious issue that is affecting the low income community in Negombo.
They also expect the authorities to give topmost attention to the formulation of a proper housing policy and the implementation of a housing programme.
If the local authority lacks resources such as land or funds or expertise to meet these demands, NUPO expects the authorities to negotiate with the provincial administration or the central government to acquire the required resources without any delay.