The right to a decent home in Aotearoa is shaped by our unique history, context, and values When considering and applying the right to a decent home within our national context, it is crucial to take into account our history, demography, economy, society, culture, environment, and laws. In Aotearoa, this context includes our history of colonisation and the foundational status of te Tiriti o Waitangi. That means the right to a decent home in Aotearoa sits alongside and is informed by te Tiriti o Waitangi. Achieving the right to a decent home means we need to honour te Tiriti o Waitangi and the promises it made. We must acknowledge and address the systematic dispossession of Māori from their land and the ongoing impacts of colonisation. We must also recognise the ways in which the right to a decent home is reflected within the context of te Tiriti o Waitangi, both for Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti. The right to a decent home is also shaped by our values. In Aotearoa, our values encompass te ao Māori (the Māori worldview) and the worldviews of other communities. They include whanaungatanga (kinship), kaitiakitanga (stewardship), manaakitanga (respect), dignity, decency, fairness, equality, freedom, wellbeing, safety, autonomy, participation, partnership, community, and responsibility. All these values are embodied in the human right to a decent home, alongside and informed by te Tiriti o Waitangi. It includes freedom from these things: · Discrimination – the right to a decent home requires that access to suitable housing is available to everyone without any form of discrimination based on prohibited grounds such as disability, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, or sexual orientation. Discrimination must not hinder people from securing a decent home that meets their needs and aspirations. · It includes entitlement to these things: · Effective measures that address discrimination and unfair disadvantage, including the continuing impacts of colonisation on tangata whenua. Housing is not currently equally accessible for everyone. Some individuals and communities are more vulnerable, marginalised, or otherwise affected by discrimination and inequality, and that means the government must take special steps to reduce and eliminate the gaps. · Active and informed participation on issues relating to housing, including policymaking and accountability. Te Tiriti o Waitangi additionally requires government to work in partnership and share decision making with its Tiriti partners. · Temporary emergency housing for people experiencing homelessness. The right to a decent home includes both freedoms and entitlements Some human rights can be framed as ‘freedoms from’ – things that we can demand protection from. Other rights are ‘entitlements to’ – things that we can demand access to. The right to a decent home includes both freedoms and entitlements. Unlawful eviction – people should be protected from arbitrary or unjust eviction practices that disrupt their housing stability or result in homelessness. The right to a decent home ensures that people can enjoy secure and stable housing without the fear of being forcibly removed from their homes without due process. The right to a decent home in Aotearoa – for individuals, communities, and advocates 3