Everyone has a role to play in the realisation of the right to a decent home This chapter is for individuals, communities and housing advocates who would like to use a human rights approach to challenge poor housing conditions. It is useful reading for anyone seeking a clear and accessible interpretation of our foundational report Aratohu Tika Tangata ki te Whai Whare Rawaka i Aotearoa: Framework Guidelines on the Right to a Decent Home in Aotearoa.38 We encourage everyone across Aotearoa to get involved – to learn about their rights and share what they know, take opportunities to participate on housing issues that are important to them, and use their voices individually and collectively to ensure government delivers on its human rights promises. Some possible actions for individuals, communities and advocacy organisations: • • • • 26 Learn about your rights, including the right to a decent home, and share what you know with your whānau, flatmates, workmates, and communities. Our resource kit (in Appendix C and online) includes posters and straightforward guidance to help support your learning. Engage with your elected representatives to highlight how the right to a decent home matters to you and ask them to show what they are doing to meet their human rights obligations. Our tools and resources include templates for emails you can send to MPs to highlight the importance of the right to a decent home. Take opportunities to participate on housing issues that are important to you. If you aren’t sure what you want to say, think about the key features of the right to a decent home and how they show up in this issue. You can also reach out to your local housing campaigners or advocacy groups to see if they are organising community engagement. Consider getting involved in housing advocacy – joining a housing advocacy group or network, or signing on to campaigns for law change. Human Rights Commission • Call for and support law changes that recognise the right to a decent home and the obligation to progressively realise it. • Think about how you can incorporate human rights, including the right to a decent home, into your housing advocacy work. For example, you could use the key features of the right to a decent home to frame the issues you are campaigning on. Our tools and resources include an advocacy guide, accessible guidance on the right to a decent home, posters, and other options to promote this human right. • Take opportunities to participate on housing issues (such as Select Committee submissions on new housing legislation, city councils developing their District Plans, and government departments’ public consultation processes) and use the right to a decent home in your advocacy. Together, we can actively contribute to the transformative journey of the housing system.