Introduction This resource summarises some of the key points from our Aratohu Tika Tangata ki te Whai Whare Rawaka i Aotearoa: Framework Guidelines on the Right to a Decent Home in Aotearoa. Everyone can use this resource to learn more about the right to a decent home here in Aotearoa. kōrero with duty bearers on their human rights obligations. We encourage advocates to use this information to strengthen their advocacy work –in your communications, submissions, kōrero with others about the housing issue you work on, or We encourage everyone to draw on this work to strengthen or start your advocacy and join the call for the realisation of the human right to a decent home in Aotearoa. What is the right to a decent home in Aotearoa? The right to a decent home, also referred to as the right to adequate housing in international law, is a fundamental human right. We all have the right to a decent home. It is about more than a right to shelter, bricks and mortar, or a house in isolation. It is also about the broader housing system – our laws, strategies, policies, and all other housingrelated initiatives. A human rights-based approach empowers individuals, whānau, and communities to understand and assert their rights, while fostering accountability among responsible individuals and institutions. To fully exercise this right, it is important to understand its meaning and scope. Where does the right to a decent home come from? The right to a decent home is recognised in various international human rights declarations and treaties. These agreements, which countries can sign to demonstrate their commitment, include: · 2 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – these documents, along with the International Covenant on Civil Human Rights Commission and Political Rights, are together known as the International Bill of Human Rights · The Convention on the Rights of the Child · The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities · The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Over the past 50 years, successive governments in New Zealand have actively participated in shaping these human rights agreements and have made commitments to implement the rights they enshrine. As a result, they have a legal obligation to ensure that the right to a decent home is realised here in Aotearoa. The private sector also has a responsibility in respecting and contributing to the achievement of the right to a decent home for everyone. This responsibility is guided by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights which outline the expectations for businesses to respect human rights and avoid any adverse impacts on individuals or communities. The New Zealand Government is also responsible for making sure others, including the private sector, respect and contribute to achieving the right to a decent home for everyone.