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COHRE's Work on Housing, Land and Property Restitution
(HLPR)
Throughout most of human history, refugees and others displaced during war stood little or no chance of ever returning to or re-inhabiting their original homes. During the past decade, however, protecting the housing, land and property rights of refugees and IDPs has been increasingly treated as a fundamental human rights concern. In post-conflict situations, restitution is now widely seen as an essential element of peace-building, reconciliation and reconstruction. It is a treated as a primary means of reversing ‘ethnic cleansing’, conflict-induced displacement and considered vital to securing a war-torn nation’s future social, political and economic stability.
The right to housing, land and property restitution to be considered is a legal remedy under international human rights law. It is a core component of the right of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to voluntarily return to their original countries and places of origin.
COHRE’s work on housing, land and property restitution began in 1998 to strengthen the rights of refugees and internally displaced persons to the restitution of their original homes. COHRE has worked on these issues concerning Albania, Bhutan, Burma, Colombia, Croatia, East Timor, Guatemala, Georgia, Iraq, Israel/Palestine, Kosovo, Sri Lanka, the United States and others. COHRE works closely with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and refugee groups themselves to promote greater attention to and enforcement of housing, land and property rights.
For more information please contact:
cohre@cohre.org
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UN adopts groundbreaking new principles on housing and property restitution
COHRE has also worked intensively at the international level to strengthen international standards on restitution. In 2002, the UN Sub-Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights appointed Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (Brazil) as the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing and Property Restitution. COHRE works closely with the Special Rapporteur. In 2005, the UN Special Rapporteur released his report, now known as the "Pinheiro Principles". These groundbreaking principles on housing and property restitution have been adopted by the UN. Download a full copy of the "Pinheiro Principles" below.
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| "The Pinheiro Principles" (2005) |
United Nations Principles on Housing and Property Restitution for Refugees and Displaced Persons.
"Principle 2: All refugees and displaced persons have the right to have restored to them any housing, land or property of which they were arbitrarily or unlawfully deprived..."
This booklet contains the full text of an important new international standard which outlines the rights of refugees and displaced persons to return not only to their countries when they see fit to do so, but to their original homes and lands as well.
 download pdf [en]
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| COHRE Media Release "The Pinheiro Principles" |
COHRE comments on the UN Adoption of a Pathbreaking New Global Standard which Demands Return of Confiscated Refugee Land and Housing
 download doc [en]
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COHRE Publications about Restitution
COHRE has prepared several publications on the restitution question:
Sources 7: Legal Resources on Housing and Property Restitution (2001).
This COHRE publication is available for download below. To order a hard copy version, download an order form here.
Returning Home: Housing and Property Restitution Rights for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons.
This COHRE publication is not available for download in the COHRE online Library. To order a hard copy version, download an order form here.
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| Sources 7: Legal Resources on Housing and Property Restitution (2001). |
"Housing and Property Testitution for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons:International, Regional and National Legal Resources" gathers valuable international, regional and national provisions regarding housing and property restitution in one user friendly document.
download pdf [en]
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