The right to an affordable, secure and decent home for all

Abstract

This chapter outlines the centrality of housing as a home for human dignity and wellbeing, using a social justice, human rights and psychological approach to housing. It details the impact of homelessness and housing insecurity on child and family wellbeing. It explains how and why housing is a human right in international law, including the UN definition of adequate housing, and the right to housing in European law and European countries. It details the new housing movement, The Shift and housing strategies based on human rights, key principles of a human rights-based housing strategy. It then outlines the status of right to housing in Ireland, its absence in law, and recent debates around its inclusion in the Constitution. It details the case for why the Right to Housing should be included in Irish law and the Constitution.