Shamed nations

NIGERIA, THE PHILLIPINES AND GREECE have been named as the worst violators of housing rights in the world in 2006. The Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions shamed the three nations for their systematic violation of rights and failure to abide by international obligations.

The 2006 Housing Rights Violator Awards went to Nigeria for forcibly evicting more than two million people since 2000, The Phillipines for forcing people out in the name of beautification and development and Greece for evicting Roma communities and forcing them to live in slums.

COHRE’s 2006 Housing Rights Defender Award went to seven Chinese activists who put themselves at risk to expose mass forced evictions.