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Sounding the alarm on forced evictions
 UN-HABITAT
Executive Director Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka on Thursday sounded the
alarm over increasing cases of forced evictions of the poor
around the world saying the practice was thwarting efforts of
the Millennium Declaration seeking to improve the lives of slum
dwellers
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AGFE undertakes missions to select countries:
The International Advisory Group on Forced Evictions established by the UN-HABITAT in 2004 has embarked on missions to select countries to engage authorities in finding solutions to forced evictions. A team of Network members undertook such a mission to Rome from 16-17 February 2005.
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Advisory Group on Forced Evictions
Recently during its 19 th session in May 2003, the Governing Council of UN-HABITAT endorsed this idea and adopted a resolution in which he “requests the Executive Director, in line with the recommendations of the World Urban Forum at its first session, to establish an advisory group to monitor and identify, and, if so requested, to promote alternatives to unlawful evictions”. Resolution 19/5. The inaugural meeting of the group took place on 5 March 2004 at UN-HABITAT's headquarters in Nairobi . UN-HABITAT sees the monitoring of forced evictions as an essential component for the successful implementation of the Habitat Agenda.
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The AGFE was established at the request of the Governing Council of UN-HABITAT as a way of alleviating the plight of the urban poor by monitoring acts of forced evictions. In particular, it is seen as an important element of the Global Campaign for Secure Tenure which is committed to ensuring that the poor are not arbitrarily evicted. In cases where eviction cannot be avoided, the campaign recommends that resettlement should be undertaken through community participation with provision for some form of alternative land with long-term security. By spearheading the fight against forced evictions the group would advise the Executive Director on dynamic ways of addressing the problem.
The members of the AGFE include representatives of civil society, local authorities, central government and professionals. All of whom bring with them enormous experience, knowledge and vast network of partners. This first meeting discussed methods for establishing mechanisms to alert the international community about evictions. Resolutions and research need to be urgently translated into action plans to deal with the growing cases of evictions around the world. The group will present its first report at the Second Session of the World Urban Forum in Barcelona in September 2004.
The groups second meeting was held In New York on 18 April 2004 to discuss potential eviction cases to be handled by the group, draw up its work plan and prepare for the it next meeting in Barcelona , Spain during the forthcoming World Urban Forum in September 2004.
 Background
List of Members
Minutes of Inaugural Meeting on 5 March 2004
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