Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements and Habitat Agenda

These two important documents include obligations related to women’s housing and inheritance rights. Under the Habitat Agenda, States commit themselves also to:

“Provid[e] legal security of tenure and equal access to land to all people, including women and those living in poverty; and undertaking legislative and administrative reforms to give women full and equal access to economic resources, including the right to inheritance and to ownership of land and other property, credit, natural resources and appropriate technologies” (Sec. 40b)

“Undertake legislative and administrative reforms to give women full and equal access to economic resources, including the right to inheritance and the ownership of land and other property, credit, natural resources and appropriate technologies” (Sec. 72e)

”[…] Governments at the appropriate levels, including local authorities, should nevertheless strive to remove all possible obstacles that may hamper equitable access to land and ensure that equal rights of women and men related to land and property are protected under the law […]” (Sec. 75)

“Promote awareness campaigns, education and enabling practices regarding, in particular, legal rights with respect to tenure, land ownership and inheritance for women, so as to overcome existing barriers” (Sec. 78b).

You can access the Instanbul Declaration on Human Settlement and the Habitat Agenda following these links.