History - HIC GS
“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
1976: The Coalition is born
HIC emerges from the Habitat Forum, a committee of NGOs created to give a central role to the civil society during the first United Nations Conference on human settlements (Habitat 1) in Vancouver.
1978: HIC institutionalization
The institutionalization of a HIC Board with a General Secretariat located in The Netherlands. The institutional registration of HIC was done in 1984.
1987: HIC General Secretariat is set up
Under the framework of the UN Conference in Nairobi and the Habitat Forum in Berlin during the
International Year of Shelter for the Homeless
, HIC transforms into an International Coalition and centers its work in the Global South. The General Secretariat is set up in Mexico City.
1992: UN Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro
During the UN Earth Summit
held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, more than 140 organizations from around the world signed the
Treaty Towards Just Democratic and Sustainable Cities, Towns and Villages
1996: Second UN Habitat Conference
The
Second UN Conference on Human Settlements (City Summit)
is held in Istanbul. HIC influenced the inclusion of the right to adequate housing in the
Habitat Agenda
.  During that time, HIC revised its
strategy, mission and organizational structure
, which led to the adoption of a
New Constitution (1997)
2000: First World Assembly of Inhabitants
HIC organized the
First World Assembly of Inhabitants
in Mexico. Community organizations and popular urban movements gathered together to define a common strategy for mobilization on a global scale.
Beginning in 2001: The first World Social Forum (WSF)
HIC has participated in every WSF: Porto Alegre 2002 and 2003; Mumbai 2004; Porto Alegre 2005; Bamako, Caracas and Karachi 2006; Nairobi 2007; Belem 2009; and Dakar 2011. HIC also joined the WSF International Committee in 2003.
2004: HIC General Secretariat
The HIC General Secretariat is set up in Santiago, Chile.
2005: World Charter for the Right to the City
Signing of the
World Charter for the Right to the City
in the World Social Forum, Porto Alegre.
2009 and 2012: Land Forum I and Land Forum III, Cairo
2009
and
2012:
HIC-Housing and Land Rights Network held its
Land Forum I and Land Forum III in Cairo.
2010: The first Urban Social Forum, Rio de Janeiro
The
first Urban Social  Forum
is a dynamic construction from urban civil society, held in parallel to
UN-Habitat’s World Urban Forum
. Its first instance took place in Rio de Janeiro in 2010 and the second one was held in Naples in September 2012.
2016: Habitat III, Quito
In Quito, under the framework of
Habitat III
, HIC, along with other social movements, civil society organizations and community groups from around the world, reaffirmed its commitment to keep on fighting and influencing for the right to the city under a human rights habitat that allows for the full crystallization of the “good living” (sumak kawsay) for everyone, in an independent manner and beyond the process of the Habitat Conferences and the authorization of governments.
2017: Kenya brings together HIC Members
Participants set up next steps for the coalition: the last frontier of civil society in solidarity with social movements must be to deepen its involvement in the political decision-making process.
2018: HIC brings together experiences to face the housing crisis
The rise of renting, gentrification, expulsion of people from cities, the increased activity of vulture funds were some of the aspects covered at an international gathering organized by HIC together with the
Observatorio DESC
and the
Global Platform for the Right to the City
aimed to analyse the causes and solutions to the housing crisis.
2019: HIC at the First UN-Habitat Assembly
The Coalition
calls for clarity and guidance for a rational and consultative approach
to UN Habitat governance and stakeholder-engagement structures. This process will build the proposal for a Institutional Mechanism for stronger Stakeholder Engagement in the
New UN Habitat Governance.
2020: HIC takes action to call for a Human Rights Habitat in the face of Covid-19
HIC
sends solidarity to HIC Members
around the globe and shares globally how HIC Members and their communities are facing this health, social, political and economic crisis, taking action to protect human rights related to habitat. Finally the coalition built together the
Habitat Voices Manifesto
and
Campaign
2021: The HIC General Secretariat is set up in Cape Town, South Africa
The HIC General Secretariat moves to Cape Town.
2021: HIC opens a dialogue for collaboration with UN Special rapporteurs and Local Governments
This
collective dialogue
was the beginning of drawing connections across the spectrum of Habitat Rights and the Right to the City
between United Nations Special Rapporteurs, civil society organizations and local and regional governments
2021: HIC starts a new learning agenda
The Coalition sets up together with Members cross-regional, multi-session encounters called
Co-learning spaces
: they are open to all HIC Members, Friends and allies to generate and multiply emancipatory learning practices applied on the defense of human rights related to habitat.
2022 Strengthening the coalition through partnerships, learning and advocacy
Taking the opportunity of
this first large in-person gathering of HIC members and allies
in over two years, on the occasion of  the World Urban Forum in Katowice (Poland), a hybrid General Assembly was held on June 25th, as well as a series of strategic conversations both within the coalition and with other stakeholders. Moreover, HIC and its members engaged actively with the
large and diverse programme
of activities developed during the forum.
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.
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