UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON ADEQUATE HOUSING TO VISIT MEXICO

1 March 2002


The Special Rapporteur on adequate housing of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Miloon Kothari, will visit Mexico from 4 to 15 March 2002 at the invitation of the Government.

The Special Rapporteur will meet with the National Commissioner for Housing Promotion and other high-level officials at the national and local levels. He will also be meeting with representatives of civil society organizations, national human rights institutions, academics and international organizations.

In accordance with his mandate, the general objectives of the Special Rapporteur's visit will be:

a. To examine and report on the status of realization of the right to adequate housing and other related rights in the country, with particular attention to aspects of gender equality and non-discrimination;

b. To engage in dialogues with the Government, UN and international agencies and the civil society in their efforts to secure these rights, and

c. To identify practical solutions and best practices in the realization of rights related to his mandate.


The Special Rapporteur will examine specifically the situation of women, children, minorities, migrants and indigenous peoples with regard to their access to housing and other related services. He will also be looking at the impact of economic integration such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on housing and related services.

During the mission, the Special Rapporteur will visit communities in San Cristóbal de las Casas in Chiapas, and Tijuana in Baja California to assess the housing and living conditions.

Mr. Kothari was appointed Special Rapporteur in accordance with Commission resolution 2000/9. He will be presenting an oral report of the Mexico visit to the fifty-eighth session of the Commission, to be held in Geneva from 18 March to 26 April 2002.



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