By Annabel Short
A new coalition has developed a set of draft principles to provide a vision for dignity and respect for human rights throughout the built environment lifecycle.
The Institute for Human Rights and Business, Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, the Australian Human Rights Institute and Rafto Foundation for Human Rights are consulting widely with stakeholders on the principles, to finalise them and inspire action.
The draft principles include recommendations for national and local governments, investors and developers, architects and design firms, construction and engineering companies, building maintenance and technology firms.
The principles are not a new set of standards. Instead, they are based on international human rights standards, and connect to existing initiatives to provide a practical framework across each stage of the built environment lifecycle. The principles are applicable at the level of individual projects and in wider urban development.
Siloed, disconnected approaches will fail to address root problems or lead to long-term solutions: the principles seek to advance greater, effective interaction between stakeholders.
The report, Dignity by Design - Human Rights and the Built Environment Lifecycle, sets out the issues involved.
These include forced evictions and the growing affordability crises facing many cities, the treatment of migrant workers through construction supply chains, and the way in which architects’ decisions can either advance or undermine inclusion. It also highlights the many steps that are already underway to advance human rights in the built environment. The report also references the draft principles for further consultation and implementation, and recommendations to the governmental and private sector actors involved throughout the lifecycle.
Annabel Short is a consultant at IHRB and founder of the Rights Here project.