Despite decades of work by housing and human rights organizations, NGOs, multilateral institutions and community organizations, the eviction of poor households and poor communities is increasing in Asian cities, causing displacement, misery and impoverishment for millions of urban citizens. The causes of these evictions are varied, but the underlying theme which links them is the increasing role market forces are playing in determining how urban land is used.
A vast majority of these evictions are unnecessary. This guide looks at the various causes of evictions, and their effect on the lives, livelihoods and housing choices of the urban poor. The distinction between different types of evictions are discussed and the legal context of eviction is examined within the key international human and housing rights covenants.
The guide explores several practical, viable and replicable alternatives to eviction which are being tested, refined and scaled up by governments, community groups and support institutions in Asian countries. In almost all of these cases, poor communities are central, creative partners in the search for lasting solutions to their city’s problems of affordable land and housing — solutions which do not require that the poor be pushed out. Finally, the guide presents guidelines to help governments and policy makers to develop better formal procedures to minimize eviction.
This guide is not aimed at specialists, but instead aims to help build the capacities of national and local government officials and policy makers who need to quickly enhance their understanding of low-income housing issues.
Resource collections
- UN Habitat - Urban Response Collection
- Urban Response - Urban Crisis Preparedness and Risk Reduction
- Urban Response Collection - Community Engagement and Social Cohesion
- Urban Response Collection - Economic Recovery
- Urban Response Collection - Environment and Climate Change
- Urban Response Collection - Housing, Land and Property
- Urban Response Collection - Urban Crisis Response, Recovery and Reconstruction
- Urban Response Collection - Urban Resilience