International Tenants’ Day 2020
Tuesday 6th of October 2020
International Tenants’ Day took place on 5th October, 2020 - this year’s theme was 'Housing for all – a better urban future'
Housing is a fundamental human right. It has also been central in the battle against the spread of the COVID-19 virus where it can be a matter of life and death. The spread of COVID-19 is spotlighting as well as worsening a pre-existing global housing crisis. Without adequate housing, it is impossible to carry out social distancing and good hygiene practices –and around 1.8 billion people, or more than 20 percent of the world’s population, lack adequate housing.
The International Union of Tenants calls for:
- zero evictions from residential properties,
- affordable housing for all including the homeless
- direct financial assistance and rental payment funds for tenants.
Visit the IUT website for more information and a video about International Tenants day.
International Tenants Day originated in 1986 when the French tenant organisation CNL proposed a special world day for tenants. The board of the IUT agreed and decided on May 22 1986, to designate the first Monday in October as the International Tenants’ Day. The IUT announces a theme each year but tenant organisations are of course free to chose their own topic/theme for this day.
The date chosen by the IUT Board was made with the background of the UN resolution taken in December 1985, by the UN General Assembly, to designate the first day of October every year as the World Habitat Day.