Acknowledgments
Habitat International Coalition (HIC)
contributed significantly to the deliberations of 1996, when the governments
meeting at the Habitat II conference reaffirmed their “commitment to =
the
full and progressive realization of the right to adequate housing as provid=
ed
for in international instruments” in both the Istanbul Declaration and
the Habitat II Agenda. At the time of the first review of the Habitat II
Agenda’s implementation, in 1998, HIC members sought the tools needed=
for
monitoring the human right to adequate housing and the specific promises ma=
de
at
That modest notion of a monitoring to=
ol has
since evolved as a comprehensive methodology for communities, advocates and
technicians to incorporate the housing rights framework into their diverse
efforts toward improving living conditions, especially for the impoverished=
and
marginalized segments of society. This accomplishment has been possible due=
to
the initiative of Mazingira Institute and HIC&#=
8217;s
Housing and Land Rights Network to convene a technical team of HLRN members=
in
1999 and 2000 to develop a method for monitoring housing rights that derived
from their collective experience. That core group eventually outline a
step-by-step approach and agreed upon an effective line of inquiry to addre=
ss a
variety of situations and, ultimately, to pose appropriate solutions within=
a
housing rights framework. Those individuals included
The elaboration of the method and fur=
ther
development of the legal arguments arose from long deliberations and variou=
s trial
applications of the draft Toolkit. Substantive contributors to the research=
and
review process included
With the July 2000 establishment of HLRN’=
;s
Middle East/North Africa (MENA) program, based in
In January 2002, Rooftops Canada intern Stephen Weiss pilot tested =
the
Toolkit’s “Loss Matrix” in order to quantify losses incur=
red
in the Israeli occupation army’s demolition of Palestinian homes in `=
Isawiyya village (
The actual production of the present Toolkit as an interactive CD is
the product of Herculean efforts by HLRN personnel, interns, members and
translators. Under the supervision of HLRN Coordinator Joseph Schechla,
research assistance initially provided through the
HLRN-MENA Program Officer Rabie Wahba surmounted the delicate and
seemingly-endless task of translating the English text into Arabic, with the
editorial assistance of HLRN Administrator Nada Gamal<=
/span>
el-Din. In addition, Rabie also made constructive recommendations that
ultimately filled gaps in the methodology.
HLRN-Global Program Officer Murielle Mignot meticulously reviewed t=
he
many hundreds or Toolkit text pages that flowed from HLRN Coordinator Josep=
h Schechla’s computer. Her service to this projec=
t has
covered the broad, conceptual dimensions, as well as the finest details and
nuances of language. Moreover, Murielle managed the network of Spanish-lang=
uage
translators and editors to complete the trilingual edition of the Toolkit. =
The
principal translator into Spanish, Jodi Grahl, =
has
accumulated long experience in HIC and its Mexico-based Secretariat and kno=
ws
well the ultimate users of this Toolkit. HLRN acknowledges also the proofreader, Claudia Blonda, and
the team of supporting translators who volunteered their time and talents to
this truly global effort:
Finally, HLRN’s IT Specialist Yas=
ser Abdelqader undertook the responsibility for patient a=
nd
detailed work on the technical design and electronic execution, with assist=
ance
from Muhammad Arafa. Yasser could not have transformed the voluminous text =
into
an interactive Toolkit without also forming an integral part of the HLRN’s program and understanding the nature and=
needs
of its members whom the Toolkit is intended to serve.
Finally, HLRN wishes to thank the organizations that have
supported it over the years; these include Ford Foundation (
HLRN owes a debt=
of
gratitude to all those who have contributed to the development and producti=
on
of this Toolkit. Theirs has been a labor in pursuit of justice for every wo=
man,
man and child in need of a home and community in which to live in security =
and
dignity.
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