What is the right to adequate housing?
The Back the Bill Coalition has been campaigning for the incorporation of the ‘right to adequate housing’ into the Welsh legal framework since 2019. The coalition is a partnership between CIH Cymru, Shelter Cymru and Tai Pawb. Together the coalition believes that we need to fundamentally change how we think about homes in Wales. By seeing a home as a right, we can change the housing emergency.
The right to adequate housing means that everyone has the right to live somewhere in security, peace and dignity. This right is part of the broader human right to an adequate standard of living through the United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
Seven factors of adequacy
- Legal security of tenure
- Affordability
- Habitability
- Availability of services, materials, facilities and infrastructure
- Accessibility
- Location
- Cultural adequacy.
Draft bill
The back the bill feasibility study outlined three options of incorporating the right to adequate housing indirect via a ‘due regard duty’, direct via an ‘enforceable compliance duty’, or the adoption of a dual approach.
The dual approach is the coalition’s preferred method of incorporation, as this will ensure a strong proactive framework for policy making, coupled with strong enforcement if it is breached. The draft bill outlines what could be achieved in legislation.
The due regard duty will ensure that policy makers actively consider the right when making policy or decisions. This will be supported by a wide range of mechanisms such as ‘housing right impact assessments’ and a ‘housing rights strategy’. There will be opportunities for redress when the duty is insufficient to ensure right compliant implementation of housing policy.
A roadmap to the right to adequate housing
In June 2024, the roadmap to the right to adequate housing was launched at the Y Farchnad event at the Senedd. It sets out what could change and how this change can be realised as we progressively realise the right in Wales.
Pledge your support
If you agree with the proposals set out in the draft bill and that housing should be a right in Wales you can pledge your support by becoming a signatory to the draft bill.
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