Housing is a Human Right-Amnesty International

Slums: Human Rights Live Here

People living in slums experience a staggering number of human rights violations: more than 1 billion people are routinely denied adequate housing, safe water, sanitation and drainage, electricity, health and education. They face the constant threat of violence, and forced eviction. Learn about their rights and how they could be enforced to help break the cycle of poverty.

Almost 1 billion people, across all continents, live in slums. These communities, where residents live, work, and raise their children, are characterized by grossly inadequate housing and living conditions, lack of basic services, and overcrowding. In some countries, people living in slums also experience high levels of violence – both from the police and criminal gangs.

Governments are failing in their duty to ensure that the human rights of those who live in these communities are fulfilled.

More and more people are being forced to live in slums and informal settlements. Disinvestment in rural areas, conflict, natural disasters, climate change, forced evictions and corporate land grabbing continue to force people to migrate to urban areas where affordable housing is scarce.