“For the recognition, defence and full implementation of the right of everyone to a secure place in which to live in peace and dignity, in all countries”

HIC Constitution 1997

History

In 1976, NGOs and other groups from the civil society around the world attended the Habitat Forum in Vancouver, organized in paralel to the 1st United Nations’ Habitat Conference, in order to demand the recognition, defense and full implementation of the human rights related to housing and land/habitat. As a result, the civil society attained a central role in the discussions, establishing a precedent for other UN global conferences to come up until present day. This key date marks the beginning of HIC, the Global network for the right to habitat and social justice.

From the beginning, HIC has worked so that everyone was able to have a secure place in which to live in peace and dignity and to ensure the recognition, defense and full implementation of the right to housing, land and all the human rights related to the Habitat. Its more than 40 years of history, are deeply tied to the development of the UN Habitat conferences.

HIC originated from the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) committee established after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in 1972, which had the aim of leading the coordination of the contributions of NGOs to the first Habitat Conference (Vancouver, 1976).

From its beginnings, HIC has actively taken part in the process related to the UN Conferences on Human Settlements with the aim of influencing the construction of the human rights’ perspective and to expose and bring attention to the serious issues related to human settlements, giving

This is our history

HIC is 45 years old

Nearly half a century of Coalition for social justice and human rights related to habitat. Happy to continue celebrating with all of you in 2022 and beyond!

HIC celebrated its 45th anniversary with its Members, Friends and Allies by looking to the future, and reaffirming why we need and still believe in the defence of housing and land rights, social production of habitat, gender equality and climate justice.
“Habitat International Coalition and the Habitat Conferences 1976-2016”
This publication brings together the memory of 40 years of local and global struggles and HIC’s experiences throughout the process of the Habitat Conferences.