Women and Housing Rights

This manual details some of the most pressing housing rights issues faced by women worldwide and provides advocates with resources and information on international housing rights law. The manual begins with the premise that women experience violations of the right to housing differently than men; therefore, gender-neutral approaches to housing rights frequently overlook the particular needs and concerns of women. The manual is divided into 7 sections. The first sections include an introduction, information on using the manual, a focus on women and security of tenure (including threats to security of tenure from gender-biased laws; customary law, tradition and dominant social attitudes; domestic violence; and financial barriers). The latter sections consist of international legal resources, a guide to using international legal resources, information on how advocates can use the United Nations system, and further Internet resources, texts and contact information.