Human Rights Council discusses reports from Experts on Right to Food and Adequate Housing

Human Rights Council
MIDDAY 5 March 2010

The Human Rights Council at a midday meeting discussed reports presented by Olivier De Schutter, Special Rapporteur on the right to food and Raquel Rolnik, Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context.

Mr. De Schutter, presenting his annual report, said the world was confronted with a challenge on three levels: increasing demand for primary agricultural goods in a context of limited resources; the need to ensure access to food for poorer populations, in particular for small farmers in the least developed countries; and the situation of the environment, and especially the erosion and impoverishment of the land and challenges imposed by climate change. The current food system was based on technology that had increased yields, but that had also increased inequality by marginalizing small farmers by killing soil and creating the conditions for a major ecological catastrophe in the future. More than two thirds of those who were too poor to feed themselves adequately were at the first links of the chain of food production and were relegated to subsistence agriculture. That was not inevitable. Governments should reinforce labour rights for agricultural workers and support should be provided so that farmers could organize into cooperatives. A public enterprise could be in charge of buying at reasonable prices from farmers and selling food at prices that could be afforded by the poorest. Governments could and should better regulate the behaviour of all of those in the chain of agricultural production and distribution.

In her annual report, Ms. Rolnik noted that mega-events could be an opportunity to enhance the right to adequate housing, but that their impact of the enjoyment of that right was less clear. The creation of a new international image for the cities hosting such events often implied removal of signs of poverty and underdevelopment through re-urbanization projects that prioritized city beautification over the needs of local residents. As the two major sporting events in the world, the Olympic Games and the FIFA Football World Cup had the power to influence and set examples for other events. The bidding and selection process was a key moment to introduce the necessary standards to ensure that the protection of human rights, in particular the right to adequate housing, would be endorsed by all relevant stakeholders and guaranteed throughout the organization of the event. The Special Rapporteur also presented some conclusions on her mission to the United States, where she said a new face of homelessness was appearing, with increasing numbers of working families and individuals finding themselves on the streets or living in shelters. In her report on a mission to the Maldives, she called on the international community to urgently support adaptation strategies for climate-change related impacts there.

Speaking as concerned countries on reports on the right to food were Benin, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Brazil. With regard to the reports on the rights to adequate housing, the Maldives and the United States made statements.

In the interactive dialogue on the right to food, speakers raised several issues, including what many agreed was an urgent need to address the imbalances of power in the agribusiness sector. Each and every State should strive to expand the choices of smallholders to enable them to sell their products at a reasonable, fair price, and reinforce their bargaining power against agribusiness corporations, they said. States' efforts were important in the realization of the right to food, but the role played by private actors of the agribusiness sector should be recognized as being just as important. Other speakers wondered how private firms could be induced to comply with recommendations, and some felt that as international instruments focused on Governments, the Rapporteur’s recommendations should be focused likewise on them and their role in promoting food security. The globalization of the food economy would increase pressures, speakers warned, and that was why measures had to be adopted to protect the poor. The current situation was unsustainable because of the trade distortions and barriers that had been created by developed countries, which also meddled unfairly in foreign markets. A speaker encouraged the Special Rapporteur to continue his dialogue with the World Trade Organization in order that that organization included a human rights perspective that took into account the right to food.

Concerning the right to adequate housing, speakers agreed that mega-events could be a chance to enhance adequate housing by renovating cities. It was essential for stakeholders to adopt a responsible attitude in the planning and execution phase of such events, however, to mitigate their impact on the human rights of affected populations. The promise of a sustainable legacy, including the provision of housing, should shape the bid to host such an event from the outset, and an assessment should be carried out identifying all measures necessary to ensure that the process of hosting it would not unfairly discriminate against particular communities. The inhabitants of affected areas also needed to be involved in inclusive consultations. Also evoked in the housing debate were the growing difficulties facing that sector, in particular due to climate change, from which poor populations suffered the most.

Speaking in the interactive debate were Cuba, Spain on behalf of the European Union, Germany, Argentina on behalf of the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR), the Republic of Korea, Senegal, Finland, the United Kingdom, Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Luxembourg, India, Norway, Brazil, Indonesia, Canada, the United States, Egypt on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, Algeria, China, Bangladesh, Sudan on behalf of the Arab Group, Switzerland, South Africa, Venezuela, Syria and Mexico. Non-governmental and civil society organizations taking the floor included the International Olympic Committee, the Procurador de los derechos humanos de Guatemala (Human Rights Ombudsman), the Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom, the Centre for Housing Rights and Evictions, the Europe-Third World Centre (CETIM), the Asian Legal Resource Centre, the International Club for Peace Research, Human Rights Advocates and the Indian Council of South America.

The Council is meeting today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. without a break. Starting at 3 p.m. the Council will hold its annual interactive debate on the rights of persons with disabilities.

Documentation

The Report of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context, Raquel Rolnik (A/HRC/13/20) discusses the impact of major international sports events on the realization of the right to adequate housing, in particular the positive and negative legacy of hosting the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup. The report also offers some insights on the role played by sponsors.

Communications to and from Governments (A/HRC/13/20/Add.1) offers summaries of communications on alleged violations of the right to adequate housing worldwide sent by the Special Rapporteur to States, responses received from States, observations of the Special Rapporteur, and follow-up communications and activities relating to earlier communications, from 6 December 2008 to 22 December 2009 and replies received from 3 February 2009 to 3 February 2010.

Follow-up to country recommendations: Brazil, Cambodia, Kenya (A/HRC/13/20/Add.2) assesses the status of implementation of recommendations elaborated by the previous Special Rapporteur in the framework of the country missions he conducted in 2004 and 2005 in Brazil, Cambodia and Kenya.

Mission to Maldives (A/HRC/13/20/Add.3) is the report of the Special Rapporteur’s mission to the Maldives in February 2009, focusing on an assessment of the impact of climate change on the right to adequate housing and the achievements made and difficulties encountered in the post-tsunami reconstruction process. The Special Rapporteur also discusses the issue of land and its traditional allocation in the Maldives.

Mission to the United States of America (A/HRC/13/20/Add.4) is the Special Rapporteur’s report of her official visit to the United States from 22 October to 8 November 2009 to examine the realization of the right to adequate housing, in particular in relation to subsidized housing programmes, the homeless situation and the foreclosure crisis.

The report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food – Agribusiness and the right to food (A/HRC/13/33) examines the role of commodity buyers, food processors and retailers in the realization of the right to food and seeks to contribute to a better understanding, by agribusiness corporations and States alike, of their respective responsibilities and obligations under international law. Ten recommendations to States and the agribusiness sector aim to ensure that the current transformation of the food chain will contribute to the realization of the right to food.

The summary of communications sent and replies received from Governments and other actors (A/HRC/13/33/Add.1) contains summaries, on a country-by-country basis, of communications alleging violations of the right to food and related rights worldwide, including urgent appeals, allegation letters and follow-up relating to the Special Rapporteur’s mandate from 5 December 2008 to 5 December 2009 and the responses received until 6 February 2010.

In large-scale land acquisitions and leases: A set of minimum principles and measures to address the human rights challenge (A/HRC/13/33/Add.2) the Special Rapporteur analyses a trend that has accelerated following the 2008 global food price crisis: large-scale acquisitions and leases of land. He examines the potential impact on the human right to adequate food, recalling the relevant obligations imposed on States under international human rights law.

Mission to Benin (A/HRC/13/33/Add.3) is the Special Rapporteur’s report on his mission to Benin in March 2009, which discusses the state of food insecurity in Benin and analyses the legal and institutional framework governing the right to food. He then examines the various public policies that significantly affect the gradual realization of the right to food in Benin.

Mission to Guatemala (A/HRC/13/33/Add.4) is the Special Rapporteur’s report of his country visit to Guatemala in September 2009 to assess the implementation of the recommendations issued by the Rapporteur’s predecessor during his visit to Guatemala in February 2005, and to examine the current status of the realization of the right to food in Guatemala.

Mission to Nicaragua (A/HRC/13/33/Add.5) presents the findings and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur from his country visit to Nicaragua in September 2009 to examine the current status of the realization of the right to food in that country.

Mission to Brazil (A/HRC/13/33/Add.6) is the Special Rapporteur’s report of the official mission to Brazil in October 2009, which examines the policies that have allowed Brazil to achieve remarkable progress in combating hunger, particularly child malnutrition, since 2002. It also identifies a number of challenges lying ahead and includes recommendations on how to meet them.

Presentations of Reports on the Right to Food and on the Right to Adequate Housing

OLIVIER DE SCHUTTER, Special Rapporteur on the right to food, presenting his annual report, said he had held wide-ranging consultations in the context of his mandate and had worked in collaboration with a number of specialized organizations. At the World Trade Organization, he had stressed that agricultural countries with fragile economies had to be given the opportunity to rebuild, protecting themselves from the arrival of low-cost food on their markets. He had also worked closely with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on issues of access to land in a context of rapidly increasing commercial pressures. In addition, he had held several dialogues with the agro-food sector, as well as with agricultural workers' unions. The world was confronted with a challenge on three levels: increasing demand for primary agricultural goods in a context of limited resources; the need to ensure access to food for poorer populations, in particular for small farmers in the least developed countries; and that of the environment, and especially the erosion and impoverishment of the land, the practice of monoculture and challenges imposed by climate change. Those crises were so great, causing such problems today and presenting such threats for tomorrow, that it was a common responsibility to make changes. The current food system was based on technology that had increased yields, but that had also increased inequality by marginalizing small farmers by killing soil and creating the conditions for a major ecological catastrophe in the future.

There were six reports from his mandate before the Council. In his annual report, Mr. De Schutter examined the current organization of the agro-food chain, and the impact on the right to food that was caused by developments in agro-food systems. Concentration was rapidly growing, in particular among purchasers of raw materials and distributors. Vertical integration was rapidly growing. Private standards were also taking up a growing place, in particular due to consumers' concerns on food security in rich countries. It was not surprising, in that situation, that more than two thirds of those who were too poor to feed themselves adequately were at the first links of the chain of food production. The great majority of small farmers were relegated to subsistence agriculture. That was not inevitable, and there were seven tools to change the situation.

Among recommendations, Mr. De Schutter said, firstly, Governments should reinforce labour rights for agricultural workers, and better oversee respect for labour laws in rural areas. Secondly, States could punish employers that violated workers' rights by depriving them of subsidies or tax advantages. Thirdly, more could be done to support small family-style agriculture, and to protect it from threats to its existence, including through supporting the organization of farmers into cooperatives. The report also described, fourthly, the role that could be played by a public enterprise in charge of buying at reasonable prices from farmers and selling food at prices that could be afforded by the poorest. Fifthly, another tool for States was that of purchase by the authorities of food, giving priority to small family farms. Sixthly, Governments could and should better regulate the behaviour of all of those in the chain of agricultural production and distribution. And, seventhly, buyers could take measures to encourage the integration of small producers into the chain of production. Taken together, those seven areas could make the food chain move in a different direction to be more inclusive, equitable, and diversified. If there was sufficient political will, the battle could be won. He would spare no effort to see small family farms placed at the centre of development efforts. The international community had made important commitments to the developing countries, and those had to be respected and fulfilled, in particular as the economic crisis had led to an extension of poverty. Hunger was not inevitable, but in order to be overcome, the international community had to work together, tirelessly, to identify solutions and, step by step, to transform the food system, which had reached the end of its rope

RAQUEL ROLNIK, Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context, presenting her annual report, which concentrated on the impact of mega-events on the right to housing, observed that mega sports events had been converted into a major strategy for urban renewal. Mega-events could be an opportunity to enhance the right to adequate housing, but their impact of the enjoyment of that right was less clear. The creation of a new international image for the cities hosting such events often implied removal of signs of poverty and underdevelopment through re-urbanization projects that prioritized city beautification over the needs of local residents. Numerous past experiences had shown that redevelopment projects adopted in preparation for the games often resulted in violations of the right to adequate housing. Informal settlements were the first to be demolished when a mega-event was to be staged in a city and local governments often failed to compensate adequately or to offer alternative adequate housing to the displaced residents of informal settlements. She cautioned that most information available on the topic was related to complaints and violations and invited States to send more information on the positive outcomes for the right to adequate housing achieved though hosting sport mega-events. As the two major sporting events in the world, the Olympic Games and the FIFA Football World Cup had the power to influence and set examples for other events. The bidding and selection process was a key moment to introduce the necessary standards to ensure that the protection of human rights, in particular the right to adequate housing, would be endorsed by all relevant stakeholders and guaranteed throughout the organization of the event. The International Olympic Committee had already done so, while the information concerning the selection process of countries to host the FIFA World Cup was not readily available to the public.

With regard to her mission to the United States, conducted in November 2009, Ms. Rolnik expressed deep concern about the millions of people in the United States who faced serious challenges in accessing adequate and affordable housing. A new face of homelessness was appearing, with increasing numbers of working families and individuals finding themselves on the streets or living in shelters or transitional housing. Federal funding for low-income housing had been cut over the past decades, leading to a reduced stock and quality of subsidized housing. Measures adopted by the new Administration to reform policies and improve access to adequate housing were welcomed, and she strongly urged the Government to increase opportunities for dialogue with civil society and tenant organizations.

The main purpose of her mission to the Maldives, conducted in February 2009, had been to examine the impact of climate change on the right to adequate housing and the achievements and obstacles of the post-tsunami reconstruction process, Ms. Rolnik said. A number of other issues affecting the right to adequate housing were identified during the visit, including affordability, the lack of housing legislation, the absence of data on income distribution, the taxation system and the housing and living conditions of migrant workers. Climate change exacerbated some of the problems linked with the Maldives, including land scarcity and vulnerability of the island to natural phenomena. There was an international responsibility to urgently support adaptation strategies for climate-change related impacts on the Maldives.

Statements by Concerned Countries

PATRICE HOUNYEAZE (Benin), speaking as a concerned country with regard to the report on the right to food, said that the Government had initiated a set of measures aimed at strengthening the agricultural sector, based on the needs that arose from its obligation to fulfil the right to food of its citizens. Through the strategic plan to strengthen the agriculture sector, the Government had committed itself to establish a dynamic agricultural context with a time horizon 2025. The plan was notably aimed at modernizing the agriculture sector, by the purchase of tractors and other agriculture tools; at the improvement of agricultural production, including that of rice and animal products; and the implementation of a financing mechanism for agriculture generally, and the management of the inter-seasonal flux of products and their prices more particularly. In order to achieve those objectives, the Government, with support from its development partners, had made available to the concerned sectors major funding to cover the alimentary needs of the population, to improve the agriculture’s sector’s competitiveness and productivity, and to improve the competitiveness of agricultural activity in the rural milieu. At the same time, Benin had focused on political measures aimed at the insertion of young people into agriculture activity by subventions and provision of parcels of land.

CARLOS RAMIRO MARTINEZ ALVARADO (Guatemala), speaking as a concerned country on the report on the right to food, said the visit of the Special Rapporteur had showed the ongoing commitment of Guatemala with regard to the human rights monitoring of the Special Procedures. The situation of under-nourishment was a priority for the Government's attention, and it had implemented measures to the extent of its abilities, with the development of a national food and nutritional security system composed of Governmental bodies and Guatemalan civil society, with the collaboration of international organizations and bodies. During the period from 2006, there had been a wide variety of programmes, policies and projects elaborated in order to reduce poverty in various areas, with work done to encourage community self-management to ensure nutritional and food security, run by women, with 4,011 communities supported. A National Food Security and Nutrition Policy had been created and was inscribed within the framework of poverty reduction strategies and international, sectoral and regional policies. To implement that policy, a food strategy had been developed to reduce food and nutrition insecurity and chronic malnutrition, including food availability, food security, expanding health services, and a family and community hygiene to reduce malnutrition. Ever since the visit of the Special Rapporteur, efforts had been made to reduce the food crisis, including the National Policy for Comprehensive Rural Development. The minimum wage had been increased to improve the standard of living of rural workers and their families, and that should have substantive effect on their access to food. Guatemala would consider the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur with utmost care with a view to implementing them.

NESTOR CRUZ TORUNO (Nicaragua), speaking as concerned country on the report on the right to food, did not deny that a lot remained to be done in Nicaragua to eradicate poverty and achieve higher levels of development. Nicaragua needed the solidarity and cooperation of other friendly countries to increase local capacities to implement poverty eradication programmes and strategies. Unfortunately, Nicaragua had had to sit down with some countries to negotiate aid, which in principle should have been done as a part of official development assistance. Conditions to international cooperation and which attempted to redesign Governments represented a human rights violation and should not be complied with. Nicaragua was committed to the implementation of the right to food. Regarding the comments in the report that Nicaragua was a country with chronic poverty and food insecurity, those were imposed on Nicaragua and were a result of injustice and exploitation of capitalism. Regarding forced evictions, Nicaragua said there was no such policy in Nicaragua and there were even legal provisions that outlawed them. Nicaragua was concerned over the possible political approaches regarding the zero-hunger programme and confirmed that all rights were granted under the principle of non-discrimination. Nicaragua thanked the Special Rapporteur on the right to food for his Report and would continue to analyse it to improve the policies and practices in that regard.

MARIA NAZARETH FARANI AZEVEDO (Brazil), speaking as a concerned country with regard to the report on the right to food, said that according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), “Brazil’s effort to reduce its own inequality has set an example for all nations where hunger exists. Brazil has gone beyond words, beyond simply naming the right to food; it had translated words into actions that lead towards progressive realization of the right to food for all.” At the centre of Brazil’s efforts was its Zero Hunger Programme, a social strategy consisting of more than 40 programmes that were aimed at providing social and food security and included efforts to provide both direct assistance and long-term poverty alleviation measures on the basis of coordinated action by all areas of Government at the federal, State and municipal levels. While the Zero Hunger Programme had made progress, Brazil was aware that much work still needed to be done. For Brazil, the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food lacked objectivity and balance as it shifted its focus from food security – which was the mandate – to areas which were only slightly related to the challenges regarding the realization of the right to food in Brazil. As for Brazil’s agricultural production, the lessons that the Special Rapporteur should take away were that it was on the basis of an integrated and non-partisan approach that countries around the world, especially least developed countries, would be able to fully guarantee agricultural production to tackle food insecurity.

IRUTHISHAM ADAM (Maldives), speaking as a concerned country with regard to the report on the right to adequate housing, said reform of the housing sector remained one of the five key pledges of the new democratic Government, and remained the single biggest challenge. The Government had begun to address the housing shortage and congestion, although the global financial crisis had slowed progress considerably. Four years after the tsunami, the post-tsunami reconstruction programme had yet to be completed. As the Special Rapporteur's report had very aptly pointed out, climate change posed a grave threat to the provision of adequate housing to the people of the Maldives. Coastal erosion, tidal swells and flooding were a reality for Maldivians. In that regard, the Maldives echoed the recommendations contained in the Rapporteur's note, in particular the international responsibility to urgently support adaptation strategies to reduce the impact of climate change. The Maldives also called upon all its international partners, especially the major emitting countries of the developed and developing world, to contribute to protecting the unique environment of the Maldives as well as the enjoyment of human rights by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to safe levels. The Maldives would continue to utilize available resources towards enhancing the housing sector, and was ready to engage with the international community and play its part.

DOUGLAS M. GRIFFITHS (United States), speaking as a concerned country on the report on the right to adequate housing, reaffirmed the Obama Administration’s commitment to creating and preserving affordable housing. While the United States had not ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, it had made a political commitment to a human right related to housing in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Although domestic law did not treat adequate housing as a legally enforceable right, it did provide certain legally enforceable rights-related protections regarding housing, such as anti-discrimination requirements. The United States recognized that the housing and economic crisis had affected the most vulnerable and the Administration had sought the implementation of a fair housing mortgage rescue initiative to remedy that problem. The cities that the Special Rapporteur had chosen to tour did not present a complete picture of housing for low-income families and individuals in the United States. It was also important to note in the report the many positive aspects of housing, including in comparison to other countries. The United States recognized the impact mega-events might have and was committed to address that challenge when it hosted such events. The 1996 Summer Olympic Games had been instrumental in transforming Atlanta into the modernized city it had become. The Housing Authority of Atlanta had developed a concept and action plan called the “Olympic Legacy Program” that had used the momentum of development before and after the Olympics to promote sustainability, liveability and an improved quality of life for its citizens.

Interactive Discussion on Reports on Right to Food and Right to Adequate Housing

JUAN ANTONIO QUINTANILLA ROMAN (Cuba) said Cuba was grateful for the two reports – on the right to food and on housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living – and on the right to non-discrimination in those contexts. Cuba appreciated and acknowledged the importance attached by Mr. De Schutter to a number of aspects to the right to food. Cuba encouraged the Special Rapporteur to continue his dialogue with the World Trade Organization in order that that organization included a human rights perspective that took into account the right to food. Cuba pointed out that, in many instances, market regulation impinged negatively on people’s enjoyment of their right to food. It was not by chance that there were now a billion hungry people in the world, given a system that was characterized by injustice, inequality and self-interest. International cooperation was needed to strengthen the right to food and Cuba would submit a draft resolution on the right to food to this thirteenth session of the Council. Turning to the report of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, Cuba said it would be grateful for further reflections on the role of financial corporations and States to best guarantee the right to adequate housing.

JOELLE HIVONNET (Spain), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the European Union had closely followed the work of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food on agribusiness, which covered a wide range of regulatory aspects and the different roles of various actors. Nevertheless, the primary responsibility for the implementation of human rights obligations related to the realization of the right to food rested firmly with States, although States could work constructively with non-State actors. The Rapporteur should frame his recommendations in the context of international human rights mechanisms. Was there any plan by the Rapporteur to consider the impact of a sound system of intellectual property rights protection to the contribution of rural development through the valorization and preservation of local products and resources? With regard to the report on the right to adequate housing, the report was a welcome opportunity to deepen understanding of that right, and the attention given to the most disadvantaged and vulnerable sectors of society was welcome. Could the Special Rapporteur elaborate in more detail the specific criteria used to define a mega-event? Other questions included how a meaningful participation of the affected population be achieved in promoting adequate housing the context of mega-events, and what advice she had for States that were preparing their bid proposals to host a mega-event in order to provide a positive housing legacy of the event.

ANKE KONRAD (Germany) said that when it came to mega-events, what was not always in the centre of attention was the positive impact that the hosting of a mega-event could have on the realization of the right to adequate housing. Germany would host the Women’s Football World Championship in 2011 and had applied to host the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and it hoped that the report and the resolution that Germany had initiated with Finland might serve as guidance for States when preparing for such events. With regard to the suggestion in the report that newly built or improved housing should be foreseen to cater for the needs of socially disadvantaged persons and low-income earners, Germany asked why the Special Rapporteur saw it important for those groups not to leave the area they were living in. Also, Germany asked about specific recommendations or suggestions for the post-event phase.

GONZALO M. JORDAN (Argentina), speaking on behalf of the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR), thanked the Special Rapporteur on the right to food for his report and stressed that MERCOSUR member countries supported both small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises. The activities with those actors had been instrumental for the realization of the right to food, as they were both a source of direct alimentation and generators of income that were important for the economy more generally. The coexistence of those types of production had been important to avoid negative effects of the global financial crisis and the food crisis in MERCOSUR member countries. Nevertheless, the current situation was unsustainable because of the trade distortions and barriers that had been created by developed countries, which also meddled unfairly in foreign markets. For that reason, MERCOSUR underscored that it key to consider removing those barriers to tackle the major challenges related to ensuring the full enjoyment of the right to food.

HYE RAN CHUN (Republic of Korea) said the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food clearly illustrated the urgent need to address the imbalances of power in the agribusiness sector, and identified practical ways to ensure that the current transformation of food systems would contribute to the realization of the right to food. Small independent food producers and agricultural workers represented over half of the billion who went hungry today, and were the two most vulnerable groups in the food chain. The significance of the empowerment of those vulnerable groups and individuals through various public policies was reiterated. Each and every State should strive to expand the choices of smallholders to enable them to sell their products at a reasonable, fair price, and reinforce their bargaining power against agribusiness corporations. States' efforts were important in the realization of the right to food, but the role played by private actors of the agribusiness sector should be recognized as being just as important. The right to food could be realized through harmonized efforts of the key market actors, State, businesses and consumers.

ABDUL WAHAB HAIDARA (Senegal) said that the issues raised by the Special Rapporteur on the right to food had to initiate a serious reflection with regard to challenges of food security and the responsibilities of different parties in ensuring food security. Senegal accorded the highest importance to that question, and was concerned by land grabs of African farmland for agricultural purposes. The Senegalese Authorities called for vigilance to ensure that major land purchases did not annihilate the efforts that were launched to respond to the needs of the rural populace. The rural population was paying heavy price for such encroachment. The investment in the agricultural sector had to be done in the framework of mutual partnership. For Senegal, the realization of the right to food and food security depended on water management, availability of agricultural input and marketing and storage of produce. For that reason Senegal considered the recommendation made by Special Rapporteur on the agro-food business of particular importance.

PEKKA METSO (Finland) commended Ms. Rolnik for her tireless efforts aimed at promoting the right to adequate housing and seeking ways and means to empower the most vulnerable segments of society by providing them with access to information on their housing rights and by encouraging them to seek redress for their situations. Finland had studied the Special Rapporteur’s report on sports mega-events with interest, and asked what exactly should be taken into consideration by the candidate cities and countries when preparing their bid proposals to host such events. Also, could the Special Rapporteur provide information on the measures taken or to be taken to promote the early entry into force of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Right and to raise awareness of its communications procedure? Finland would also appreciate hearing Mr. Rolnik’s views on the potential of the Optional Protocol to strengthen the right to adequate housing and to enhance its full realization on the ground.

MARIA TODD (United Kingdom) said the London 2012 Olympic bid had been based on a vision of hosting an inspirational, safe and inclusive Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, which would leave a sustainable legacy for London and the United Kingdom. The promise of a sustainable legacy, including the provision of housing, had shaped the bid from the outset. As recommended in the report, an assessment had been carried out identifying all measures necessary to ensure that the process of hosting the Olympics would not unfairly discriminate against particular communities. Housing was a major part of the Legacy Plan and would make up 65 per cent of everything that was built in the Park after the 2012 Games. The United Kingdom was committed to ensuring that the preparation, delivery and legacy of the London 2012 Olympics generated examples of best practice that could be used more widely. It was the United Kingdom's firm belief that, if fully integrated into planning from the bidding stage onwards, mega-events could deliver a sustainable legacy which could enhance the delivery of services and rights, including the right to an adequate standard of housing.

ZAHOOR AHMED (Pakistan) speaking on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, appreciated the comprehensive reports. On food, the Special Rapporteur’s emphasis on the need to adopt responsible policies by the private sector and States to protect the right to food was welcomed. It was a major concern that most hungry people today were a part of the food systems in the formal and informal sectors. Agribusiness policies should ensure that current food chain transformations could contribute to realizing the right to food. The Organization of the Islamic Conference broadly agreed with the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations on housing with regard to positive and negative policies following mega-events and their impact on adequate housing. Given the impact of mega-events on adequate housing, it was essential for stakeholders to adopt a responsible attitude in the planning and execution phase, to mitigate their impact on the human rights of affected populations.

JEAN FEYDER (Luxembourg) welcomed the actions taken by the Special Rapporteur on the right to food. Last Wednesday, the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg had addressed the Council, underscoring, among other issues, that the Government attached particular importance to economic, social and cultural rights, to which greater attention should generally be paid. The Minister of Foreign Affairs had also emphasized that the right to food was now more violated than ever before, with the number of those suffering from malnutrition and hunger standing at more than a billion, despite the fact that Millennium Development Goal One was to reduce hunger in the world by half. For that reason, among others, Luxembourg strongly supported fair-trade and non-governmental organizations committed to promoting fair trade. The rights of agricultural workers were also often violated, highlighting the importance that the relevant Conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) were fully respected. What cooperation between the Human Rights Council and the ILO did the Special Rapporteur consider appropriate, Luxembourg asked?

SUNEET MEHTA (India) said the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to housing referred to the potential impact of sport mega-events on that right. Mega-events provided an opportunity for the urban regeneration of a city, while potentially enhancing the realization of the right to housing, and that had frequently been shown to be the case in large cities. In the particular context of housing, mega-events provided for the construction of new dwellings and the renovation of old ones. The Special Rapporteur acknowledged that the impact of mega-events on the right to housing for all was not so clear. Infrastructure development should not be the result of mass forced evictions and displacement of people – it should have a human rights dimension, and the hosting of a mega-event should not negatively affect the right to housing. In India's case, such evictions when made were done in line with law, and applied only to illegal inhabitation of land. India had had several judgements, including by the Supreme Court, which had directed the Executive to clear the unauthorized occupation of public land, and had, in some cases, directed the Government to resettle the affected squatters. India was appreciative of the concerns of the Special Rapporteur, and was mindful of its commitments under the international human rights Conventions to which it was a party.

ANNE SCHIVE VIKEN (Norway) thanked the Special Rapporteur for a comprehensive and politically challenging report on the right to food. Access to food for all was fundamental to meeting the other Millennium Development Goals, not only to eradicating hunger. The responsibility for realizing the right to food lay with the State. The conduct of agribusiness was highly relevant. Obviously, more could be done by business. As plantations and contract farming grew, the distinction between paid workers and farmers was breaking down. Thus, the role of the State as regulator became even more important. In small-scale agriculture, women played a significant role. Norway would have liked to see more comments from the Special Rapporteur as to how modern agribusiness effected women’s position in society. A comprehensive analysis of the relationship between the trends in modern agribusiness and the situation of suppliers in developing countries was imperative for the realization of the right to food.

MARIA NAZARETH FARANI AZEVEDO (Brazil) said Brazil attached great importance to guaranteeing adequate housing. Major international sport events provided important opportunities to enhance and improve living conditions of the population in that regard. It was particularly for developing countries that mega-events, such as the Olympic Games, provided a political and social momentum to increase the level of investment in several areas of infrastructure. Turning to the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, that document raised serious concerns on Mr. De Schutter’s independence and objectivity. The Special Rapporteur obviously used his mandate, and misused his independence, to advance the trade and protectionism interests of his region, notably by promoting policies grounded on protectionism. Mr. De Schutter also defended the distortion of agricultural practices by the developed world, and he did not say one word on the negative impacts of trade-distorting practices, such as subsidizing agriculture, on developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

PRIMANTO HENDRASMORO (Indonesia) said the improvement of agricultural infrastructure had been a top priority in Indonesia's national development plan. The Government had removed many of the regulatory stumbling blocks that had been hindering investment in agribusiness, and had also much improved logistics systems. Those measures would enable Indonesia to maximize the potential of its vast national resources and fulfil its responsibility in providing food for all. Strengthening local and national markets, supporting ongoing diversification of trade channels, and establishing cooperative organizations were just some of the ways to generate more market access and opportunities for smallholders. Indonesia shared the view that the bargaining power of small-scale enterprises should be strengthened. A more mutual and supportive partnership should be established between the agribusiness sectors and their small and medium-sized counterparts. The agribusiness sector should embrace and support Indonesia's small businesses and cooperatives, and more should be done to encourage major corporations to make use of small businesses and place more value on their potential. What was the Special Rapporteur's opinion regarding ensuring support for the international trade rules to the agricultural development in developing countries?

ALISON LECLAIRE (Canada) said the reflections of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing on the impact of major international sporting events on the right to adequate housing highlighted some of the human rights issues that could arise in that context. The report contained helpful elements for States to bear in mind whenever such events were planned. However, could the Special Rapporteur clarify the term “forced evictions” as used in the report in order to differentiate it from evictions that were carried out by law and in line with the State’s human rights obligations. The Special Rapporteur’s invitation for States to share best practices on the mandate’s website was welcome. Canada was not aware of reports of a rise in homeless populations as a result of the Olympic Games in Vancouver. Canada would encourage the Special Rapporteur to take into consideration any impact the issue under study would have on the promotion and protection of women and girls’ rights to adequate housing.

JOHN C. MARIZ (United States) said the United States considered combating global hunger and improving global food security a top priority. It had therefore incorporated key aspects of the Rome Principles of Sustainable Food Security as the foundation for its investment in agriculture and food security in developing countries. Turning to the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, the United States said that that document included recommendations to private firms. However, as international human rights law generally applied to governmental action, it would have been more useful that recommendations focused likewise on Governments and their role in promoting food security. The United States also disagreed with many of the specific findings of the Special Rapporteur, notably with his conclusion that food security could be enhanced by significantly higher levels of governmental control over prices and labour markets. Much could and needed to be done to improve the effectiveness of agricultural markets in developing countries and, to that end, the Government currently studied a number of issues which had been raised in the report. Those issues included competition policy and enforcement, monopoly issues as well as antitrust jurisdiction, each of which were very complex subjects that required careful thought.

HEBA MOSTAFA RIZK (Egypt), speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, said the Non-Aligned Movement appreciated the attention devoted by the Special Rapporteur on the right to housing to an area that lacked full exploration, namely the impact of organizing mega-events on the realization and protection of the right to housing. However, the report lacked a specific framework definition of mega-events. The Non-Aligned Movement shared the view of the Special Rapporteur that mega-events presented opportunities for urbanization and development; however, they also had their negative impacts as they could lead to some human rights violations, in view of the threat of forced evictions and displacement. It was important that States uphold their obligations and responsibilities towards the protection of human rights, as well as incorporate the human rights dimension in their plans for hosting such mega-events. With regard to the right to food, the Non-Aligned Movement shared the views of the Special Rapporteur that multinationals in agribusiness should abide by their responsibilities to respect the human rights of agricultural workers, and would like the Special Rapporteur to elaborate more on the impact of the control exercised by major agricultural and food production companies on the realization of the right to food and how their practices, in particular in relation to pricing, transport and food distribution, had had an impact on the world food crisis and the ultimate realization of the right to food for all. The Special Rapporteur should address in his future work issues related to enabling countries that lacked agricultural and food production capacities to ensure the right to food of their populations.

IDRISS JAZAIRY (Algeria) said Algeria aligned itself with the statements made by the Non-Aligned Movement and the African Group. Algeria thanked Raquel Rolnik for her report on the impact of international sporting events on adequate housing, especially their impact on countries hosting the World Cup and the Olympic Games. The report was particularly timely, on the eve of the World Cup taking place in Africa. Algeria also thanked Olivier De Schutter for his report on the right to food, and for the emphasis it had placed on the role States could play in the social protection of small farmers. International institutions were also continuing to help such smallholders, especially family farms, become more powerful. Due to the effects of globalization, the Special Rapporteur should work with the International Fund for Agricultural Development on joint strategies for empowerment and advancement of those groups. Algeria invited the Special Rapporteur to carry out official visits to Algeria in 2010 and ensured him of the Algerian Government’s full cooperation.

QIAN BO (China) said the question of food was a question of development; only with agricultural development could the food crisis be resolved once and for all time. China encouraged the Special Rapporteur on the right to food to continue his constructive role in that regard as an increase in the income of farmers was an important solution to the currently witnessed crises. In fact, over half of the population suffering from hunger worked in the agricultural sector. For that reason, China had initiated reforms to improve the income of farmers, and those efforts had led to good results. As for the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, China regretted that that paper included some baseless allegations. For example, the figures given in the report on the number and nature of people that needed to be relocated for the construction of a stadium for the Olympic Games were baseless and not in conformity with available data. The 2007 Olympic Games had rather promoted the development of Beijing and the Government had given appropriate attention to the issue of housing in the context of the games.

NAHIDA SOBHAN (Bangladesh) said Bangladesh valued greatly the work of the two Special Rapporteurs. The result of the global food crisis was still pervasive. A billion of the world's population suffered from hunger, and that was unacceptable at a time of opulence. What was needed was concerted action. Business as usual was not an option. The recommendations in the report were supported. States and private actors should consider implementing those recommendations. Bangladesh asked how it would be possible to make the private sector comply with those recommendations? With regard to the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to housing, that was much broader than focusing merely on mega-events. Some changes on the landscape of such events was required, and the inhabitants of affected areas needed to be involved in inclusive consultations. The difficulties facing housing were growing in severity due to a range of issues such as climate change, from which poor populations suffered the most. Large-scale population displacement would be caused by rising sea levels. Housing for the huge number of environmentally displaced people would be a great challenge.

HAMZA AHMED (Sudan) thanked Ms Rolnik for the annual report on the impact of mega sporting events on the right to adequate housing. It had read all the remarks and recommendations carefully. Its attention had been drawn to the positive results on cities hosting the Olympic Games and the World Cup, especially in terms of helping create better sewerage systems and roads, improving the economy of cities and infrastructures. Such mega-events could be a chance to enhance adequate housing by renovating cities. From previous experiences, some projects could well affect human rights, especially the right to adequate housing, leading to mass evictions to develop the infrastructure. It could also lead to real estate speculation and higher rents. There had been allegations of people being displaced and vulnerable groups had been the most affected, including the disabled, the elderly and low-income groups. Sudan also thanked Mr. De Schutter for his work on the impediments to the right to food and appreciated the recommendations in that report.

MURIEL BERSET (Switzerland) said the Special Rapporteur on the right to food had noted that the rights of small agricultural actors needed to be reinforced and familial agricultural activity strengthened. In that regard, how did Mr. De Schutter envisage combating discrimination in the context of the right to food, if small agricultural producers only received a minimal percentage of the value of their goods? Also, how could respect for the principle of non-discrimination in the context of the right to food be guaranteed? The responsibility of enterprises went beyond production and business, as the relevant Special Rapporteur had highlighted in his work. In that sense, how did Mr. De Schutter see the need for due diligence of the agro-alimentary industry to ensure the respect of the human rights of communities?

KGOMOTSO DAPHNE RAHLAGA (South Africa) noted the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing and the impact of major sporting events on the realization of the right to housing had been compiled without an actual visit to South Africa. The South African Constitution recognized the right of everyone to adequate housing. The Special Rapporteur had painted a very grim picture on the impact of major sporting events in her report. That was not the first time South Africa had hosted such a major sporting event and the bidding proposal to FIFA had had a strong development component. Expenditure on housing services had doubled since 2004. The budgeting and the distribution of resources in South Africa had been pro-poor and aimed at addressing and correcting imbalances from the previous Apartheid government. South Africa faced a housing shortage that would not be solved overnight; the passing of the legislation mentioned in the report was aimed at controlling illegal settlements. There were no policies that called for eviction of poor people that lived near the World Cup venues. It was unfortunate that the Special Rapporteur had been unable to visit South Africa due to moratorium on all visits by Special Rapporteurs during the election last year.

EDGARDO TORO CARENO (Venezuela) especially appreciated Mr Olivier de Schutter’s statement on the right to food and encouraged him to continue his work. The report highlighted that the human right to food could be violated if access to land was prohibited to people who relied on it to sustain themselves, stressing that agricultural systems should prioritize local food production needs first. Venezuela had been promoting a new orientation in agriculture and food industries through legal frameworks that would ensure food security with policies that would help small-scale producers towards agrarian reform. It was crucial to mention regional efforts such as the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA), in which countries had endorsed programmes for food security, to ensure its security and an agro food-marketing network that would meet future alerts in food shortages to bolster productive sectors by including indigenous people and those of African descent.

ABDULMONEM ANNAN (Syria) said the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food contained innovative solutions, conclusions and recommendations, notably that small agricultural holders were the most concerned by agricultural insecurity, and that their special needs had to be given particular attention. Syria also hoped that the Special Rapporteur would clarify how global food security could be improved and further explain how developing countries could draw up plans to improve food security, particularly to resist to the fluctuations related to the global food crisis, despite their limited role in global processes in that regard. The access of farmers to fair trade should also be improved, as should their bargaining power, and the implementation of the relevant International Labour Organization Conventions should also be ensured.

MIGUEL MALFAVON (Mexico) referred to the report on the food industries and the right to food. In Mexico food security was considered a State matter and the Government worked to prevent non-State actors from the food business to commit human rights abuses. The international community was responsible for ensuring and facilitating access to food at the best prices in the world markets. Sustainable use had to be made of resources such as water, forests and soil. It was urgent also to adopt measures to curb the impact of food crises on the poor. Mexico agreed that globalization of food economy would increase pressures and that was why measures had to be adopted to protect the poor. Transfer of technology should be a priority in the international cooperation and should contribute to States achieving food security. Mexico agreed with the Special Rapporteur that it was important to link farmers with local markets.

KATIA MASCAGNI, of the International Olympic Committee, assured the Council that it valued the significance of the impact of the Games on the lives of people. It had been pleased with constructive dialogue that had been established over the years with the Council and its Special Rapporteur. While it was committed to the need that the Games had to be held in a socially responsible manner, the International Olympic Committee did not have the mandate to evaluate or monitor a country’s compliance with international standards. In that regard, it relied on the United Nations. It saw its responsibility to make future host cities aware of displacement and forced evictions. It would continue to support the Council’s work to tackle those questions in an ethical and transparent way. The Olympic Committee had integrated the issue of housing in its questionnaire for candidacy. Future host cities like London had already shown concern over housing issues. The issue of adequate housing in relation to Olympic construction was crucial. The International Olympic Committee would play its role in that issue and purse fruitful dialogue, including with organizing committees and the Council.

KATHARINA ROSE, of Procurador de los Derechos Humanos de Guatemala (the Guatemalan human rights Ombudsman), said former Special Rapporteur Jean Ziegler had visited Guatemala in 2004, and the country had received a follow-up visit by the current mandate holder. Efforts in the field were certainly made, including the two reports submitted by the human rights Ombudsman who had developed indicators to follow-up the right to food and submitted a constitutional case against the authorities in charge of food security, following the death of minors due to inappropriate alimentation. Nevertheless, the situation remained dire, as highlighted, among others, by the facts that the situation of farmers was precarious; agriculture was oriented towards exports; there was sectarian opposition to setting up courts in the field; there was no clear agricultural legislation; the draft bill on water had not been adopted; and there were no changes in the Labour Code in order to eliminate discrimination against women. It was necessary for Guatemala to make progress in the field of right to food by implementing the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur.

ILSE WERMINK, of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, welcomed the focus on the obligations of States in ensuring the right to food, as outlined in the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food. States had an obligation to ensure the right to food for small landholders. Ensuring the enjoyment of the right to food required a shift in how national resources were used. In the world today $1.4 trillion were spent on arms. When a State decided do buy a fighter jet, it renounced to buying meals for over 200 thousand people.

SALIH BOOKER, of the Centre for Housing Rights and Evictions, said that mega-events, not just sporting ones, should be organized in the framework of a common heritage, so as to avoid negative impacts on the right to housing, in particular owing to housing speculation. It was hoped that the Special Rapporteur would included this issue in his study on evictions and land appropriation.

MALIK OZDEN, of Europe-Third World Centre, in a joint statement with Movement against Racism and for Friendship among Peoples, welcomed the commitment of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food. While he was commended for suggesting minimum principles and measures, many civil society actors remained concerned, as the implementation of those measures was insufficient. Reasons for that were, among others, that Governments in themselves were unable to protect their people from hunger and malnutrition, and because Governments often acted in accordance with the interests of political elites. The Special Rapporteur had made interesting proposals to protect smallholders against the actions of major industry actors, but no proposals had been made to regulate the activities of transnational corporations in the agricultural sector. The Special Rapporteur should come up with specific human right norms that should govern their activities.

MICHAEL ANTHONY, of the Asian Legal Resource Centre, welcomed the work of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food and noted that out of 18 countries on which the mandate had issued communications last year, one third were in South and South-East Asia. The lack of responses from the Philippines and Indonesia to communications was regrettable. The Asian Legal Resource Centre had recorded numerous starvation deaths in Indonesia, especially in Papua province. The Government of India had also not responded to an allegation letter last year concerning its failing food distribution system. The Special Rapporteur had noted that the enjoyment to the right to food required a focus on the most vulnerable segments of the population and the Centre wanted to know if the Special Rapporteur had noted any actions by Governments in Asia to ensure such a focus.

MONICA PAGADOR, of the International Club for Peace Research, fully appreciated the report of Olivier de Schutter. Rising hunger and food shortages posed one of the most formidable challenges to human rights situations, especially in poor and developing parts of the world. To enjoy human rights it was essential to remain human by consuming the number of calories needed for bare survival. Falling purchasing power and less attention being paid to the agricultural sector by policymakers would increase the number of hungry people. Providing food security to every human being was the most basic requirement of any system of government locally or globally. Hunger had been haunting most of the world.

MARIAM DANIELYAN, of Human Rights Advocates, said the right to food was the most enabling of all human rights and was closely liked to the dignity of human beings. Food sovereignty was the most viable path to ensure that right to food, giving each people the right to define their own food policy, enabling them to access healthy and sustainable food, and ensuring that the interests of smallholders and consumers were put before those of multinational corporations. The failure of States to adhere to existing food aid guidelines also often had disastrous outcomes, as several examples where food aid had undermined food security had highlighted. Human Rights Advocates welcomed the Special Rapporteur’s addendum to his most recent report on large-scale acquisitions and leases, both of which were issues that also undermined food security. Human Rights Advocates asked whether the Special Rapporteur also thought that food sovereignty could help address the often harmful effects of large-scale acquisitions and leases?

RONALD BARNES, of Indian Council of South America, said that States did not want to recognize the collective rights of indigenous people but assumed that their collective property was sold when it managed to obtain consent of individuals. States needed to review the international agreements that affected the exploitation of indigenous territories and resources. The conflict in Alaska was becoming more pronounced over the resources and the subsistence rights as the indigenous people of Alaska were asserting that the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was a violation of the Constitution of the United States. Indigenous peoples had the right to maintain any medicinal property rights that indigenous people or any other peoples might have to maintain their health.

OLIVIER DE SCHUTTER, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, in concluding remarks, highlighted that Benin, Guatemala and Nicaragua had reacted very positively to his reports, and he detailed some improvements they had made since. Brazil had been less happy with his report and had suggested amendments. He remained puzzled over what Brazil wanted him to do about trade, whether to speak more or less about it. His position on trade was that countries should regain possibilities to produce for themselves, and that poor countries should be supported in doing that. Poor countries would not be helped by being inundated by imports from abroad, whether those were from subsidized producers or not. Indeed, he had in fact denounced subsidies as a major problem in his report to the World Trade Organization. But those countries were also sometimes inundated by the large agricultural super-Powers, which had highly mechanized agricultural systems. Imports of Brazilian chicken, for example, was two times more important in West Africa than chicken originating from the European Union. His concern was that many questions remained unanswered because trade had been constantly used to divert from what really mattered. What was Brazil intending to do for the indigenous communities eco-system? What measures would be taken to avoid further criminalization of social movements? What would Brazil do to improve its highly regressive fiscal system? Attacking the Special Rapporteur’s independence was not a way to avoid answering those questions. Cuba and Egypt had said they would like the Rapporteur to address the environmental dimensions of the right to food, which would be done.

There were some questions on large-scale land acquisitions and leases. The Special Rapporteur hoped to provide a set of principles to guide States to improve their ability to monitor that in light of the right to self-determination. He warned against shifts in land rights. Contractual agreements should be a priority instead. The Special Rapporteur welcomed Pakistan’s insistence in that regard. He would work with the International Labour Organization on a living wage, a benchmark for wage legislation. The Rapporteur thanked Luxembourg’s efforts in that regard. He closed by thanking Algeria, Mexico and China for their openness, saying that he would serve the Council to the best of his ability.

RAQUEL ROLNIK, Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context, in some concluding remarks, said – in response to the comment made by the United States – that her statement that had triggered that comment had been a general remark on many situations that she had dealt with as a Special Rapporteur. It was very difficult to deal with a country’s complexity in a few days, which indeed constituted a problem and more mechanisms should be sought to deal with that. On mega-events, the Special Rapporteur agreed with the concerns that had been voiced and underscored that mega-events should not, or should not primarily be seen in terms of the number people involved, but rather in terms of their long-term impact. She hoped that collaboration could be established in that regard with a view to come up with a resolution during the current session.

On questions asked on what should be integrated into the bid process in order to enhance the right to adequate housing, the Special Rapporteur said the main issue was to consider the impact on adequate housing. That should not only include the direct impacts, for example people affected by relocation, but also indirect effects of such events. That was also part of the response to China; there was not only the issue of relocation, but also that of escalating house prices around the locations where buildings were constructed in the build-up of major events such as the Olympic Games. That was an issue which States could tackle, among other measures, by appropriate planning involving all relevant key stakeholders. If a very good participatory plan was in place, everybody – including business – should agree with what would be done. Ms. Rolnik underscored that housing was more than having a roof above one’s head; many communities had lived in a particular place for generations, leading to emotional bonds being formed. Relocation should therefore be avoided by any means. The Special Rapporteur had also been in contact with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and said it was worrying that that organization did not have a comprehensive and transparent procedure in place. As for Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom, she was sorry that she was not able to conduct a mission to those countries and thus had not had sufficient information. The Special Rapporteur concluded by thanking Algeria for its invitation to visit the country.

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