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Dakar Declaration – local authorities in favor of housing rights

Déclaration de Dakar – les autorités locales en faveur du droit au logement, MARS 2011

Abdel Sadi, Mairie de Bobigny, présente la Déclaration du FAL à l'Assemblée Mondiale des Habitants

The 9th  World Assembly of the Forum of Local Authorities, taking place in Dakar (Senegal) on February 8, 2011, fully supports and shows its solidarity with World Assembly of Inhabitants of February 10 in Dakar.
We are committed to carrying out joint measures with inhabitants organizations to declare our territories “anti-eviction zones” and to organize chains of solidarity to ensure that this declaration is actually acted upon.

Declaration of 9 th  Assembly of Local Authorities Forum

supporting t he World Assembly of Inhabitants

Our towns reflect all of the social contradictions of our globalized world.

The inequalities are becoming worse.

Exploitation, exclusion and despair are affecting young people in particular, who are increasingly expressing their rebellion against this situation.

Local authorities are taking action and realizing the extent of this problem.

The social inequalities are exacerbating the consequences of floods, earthquakes and other so-called natural disasters. Indeed, the poorest people are the main victims. Those who only had very little are often losing everything.

In this world of inequalities, the right to housing for all people everywhere largely has yet to be attained.

This reality is evidenced by the serious difficulties in attaining the right to housing for all people everywhere.

This issue and, more generally, urban issues, are now being presented in a “globalized” manner. According to the UN, 50% of the global population lives in cities, a total that will reach 60% by 2050.

In 2008, one in six people lived in a slum, and one in three will be in such a situation in 2050. In view of this alarming reality, we, as elected officials, have the responsibility to take action.

We must think about and build the city of tomorrow; a city that guarantees high-quality public services; a city of social justice and solidarity.

Everyone has the right to quality housing for raising of children and for one’s own personal fulfillment. This is an intangible right. And the right to property cannot be opposed.

The housing crisis is affecting urban areas. But it is also present in rural areas, as desertification has led people to be deprived of public services.

While the responsibility of every state in the establishment of its national policies is indisputable, it is also possible to assess the consequences of policies for dramatic social realities on a global level: more than 1 billion people are homeless or have poor housing, a total that will reach 1.7 billion by 2020.

While governments pledged to improve the living conditions of at least 100 million people before the same date, the assessment reveals the expected failure of the 7-11 Millennium Development Goal.

Access to water, energy, housing, culture and transportation is essential for the creation of sustainable development and solidarity within cities.

The global crisis, with its roots in the financial and housing sectors, dictates urban policies, thus sacrificing general interest in favor of private interests.

The right to housing cannot be dependent on waiting for the so-called financial crisis to be resolved.

Local authorities do not have a neutral role in global economic choices.

This is why it would be advisable to develop a new globalized approach, uniting the actions of elected officials, inhabitants organizations, unions, associations and citizens, each in their own territory, for the establishment of the right to housing for all people everywhere.

We, local authorities met in Dakar, we are committed to guaranteeing the fundamental rights of all.

We are committed to carrying out joint measures with inhabitants organizations to declare our territories “anti-eviction zones” and to organize chains of solidarity to ensure that this declaration is actually acted upon.

We are committed to promoting respect for the right to the city and the right to housing in our territories, contributing to the creation of a world of solidarity, fairness and sustainability.

We are committed to working in the places we are elected to shift the emphasis of national issues in view of these principles.

The 9th  World Assembly of the Forum of Local Authorities, taking place in Dakar (Senegal) on February 8, 2011, fully supports and shows its solidarity with World Assembly of Inhabitants of February 10 in Dakar.

Dakar, February 8, 2011

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El(la) siguiente Traductor(a) Voluntario(a) por el derecho a la vivienda sin fronteras de la AIH colaboró con la traducción de este texto:

Timothy Weiss

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