UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

49^th session

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing

16 March 2022

EU Intervention

Mr President,

The European Union appreciates this opportunity to dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, Mr Balakrishnan Rajagopal.

We welcome the work of the Special Rapporteur and his first report to the Council. We also thank you for your  statement in which you expressed grave concerns about the situation in Ukraine, where millions of people have been deprived of the right to live in a home, in peace and in dignity, due to the Russian invasion. 

The moment to address spatial segregation could not be more timely: the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated inequalities in the last two years. Persons in vulnerable situations have been particularly impacted by the global crisis. Spatial segregation drastically shows the variety of these inequalities.

It is deeply worrying to read to which extent all types of spacial segregation can have both damaging and long-lasting detrimental consequences on those affected. It is clear that addressing and reverting the consequences of spatial segregation is vital. But we also must prevent, prohibit and eradicate practices amounting to this problem.

Spatial segregation is a global issue that affects millions of people and that is interlinked with the struggle to combat multifaceted discrimination and inequality. It is a major obstacle to enjoying the right to adequate housing as part of the right to an adequate standard of living.

It becomes clear that – once again - without adequate housing, the realization of a wide range of other human rights and fundamental freedoms becomes difficult, if not impossible.

Mr Special Rapporteur,

How can States best address the detrimental consequences of spatial segregation from a human rights based approach?

Thank you.