The objectives of the mission of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living were to examine and report on the status of the realization of the right to adequate housing and other related rights in Peru, with particular attention to aspects of gender equality and non-discrimination. He also sought to engage in dialogue with the Government of Peru, United Nations and other international agencies and civil society, to identify practical solutions and best practices in the realization of rights related to his mandate.
The Special Rapporteur found the housing situation in Peru very grave. The housing deficit is currently estimated at 1.2 million units, of which 300,000 new housing units are needed and 900,000 units are in need of improvement. During the mission, he received numerous petitions and information on impediments that people face, such as: lack of title, civic services (particularly water) and secure tenure; houses built in high risk-zones and the collapse of land from mining activities; families and communities facing evictions; provision of title without the attendant civic services; and pollution of natural resources, particularly water and air. Lack of adequate water and sanitation was a top-priority concern for almost all the poor communities that the Special Rapporteur visited. Over the years, large numbers of people have been displaced owing to political violence. Informal settlements have mushroomed, largely fuelled by poverty.
