More than 1.8 billion people worldwide lack adequate housing. Every year 2 million people are forcibly evicted, many more are threatened with evictions and some 150 million people worldwide are homeless. Adequate housing is a human right enshrined in international human rights law. Housing shortages are unfortunately present in many countries in both LEDCs and MEDCs, and the available housing is often too expensive for (first-time) buyers or renters. In MEDCs it is becoming more and more common that people with a stable income become homeless after, for example, a divorce. In LEDCs many people are forced to build temporary accommodations in spontaneous settlements or neighbourhoods, called slums. The committee will have to find ways to increase the availability of adequate housing and to make it more accessible to (first-time) buyers or renters.
