What planet does the UN inhabit?

Some days I truly do wonder if sometime during the night, as I slept, I slipped through some rouge wormhole and woke up in an alternate universe.

Today is one of those days.

The New York Times: The United Nations has assigned an official, “a special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing,” to check the city’s affordable housing. The rapporteur, Raquel Rolnik, is to tour the city for the next three days with housing advocates and city officials to “hear the voices of those who are suffering on the ground,” she said.

I would strongly suggest the UN have Ms. Rolnik start her investigation into the "right to adequate housing" in any of the several places so vividly brought to us by photographer Jonas Bendiksen...

Jonas Bendiksen: Dharavi

A little girl playing in Laxmi Chawl, a neighbourhood of Dharavi. The little lightbulbs are put out for an upcoming wedding. Photograph: Jonas Bendiksen/Magnum

Jonas Bendiksen: Caracas

New squatter settlements on a hillside in north Caracas, Venezuela. Photograph: Jonas Bendiksen/Magnum An internet flash journey through Mr. Bendiksen's Book The Places We Live is available at this link.

The issue of Mega-cities and its ancillary issue of Mega-slums have been of interest to me for quite some time, about two decades now. I've previously written briefly on the issue here and here - on Pandemic Chronicle. Inadequate housing is as intractable and complex an issue as it is ubiquitous. While the United States has its difficulties housing every single one of its residents to a standard that might meet Ms. Rolnik's standards I question not only her [and the UN's] motivation, but also their genuine commitment to the issue.

If anyone is truly interested in what the problem of "inadequate housing" really looks like watch this video.

The problems of housing in the US pales in comparison. In comparison, there is no problem. In comparison, every single person residing within the boarders of the US have access to a veritable palace, no matter how humble the abode may be in reality.

And so, given that I have at least a modicum of understanding on the issues, something I highly doubt Ms. Rolnik has, perhaps I can be forgiven for my WTF moment this morning....

Oct 25, 2009

Rick Reed said...

Well having seen any number of things that the UN has done over the years that made me ask the, "what planet" question quickly answered by obviously one without oxygen. I would have to say that while I was attending college in NYC my sociology class caused me to make rounds with a social worker who took me to places that would rival any bombed out 3rd world country. Though the combined boroughs of NY don't have the quantity of other 3rd world slums some of them certainly have the quality.

Debi Brandon said...

@ Rick,

Thanks for dropping by and thanks for sharing your observations.

Question: I've seen "my share" of varied living conditions, some of them outside the margins of society, i.e., homeless and "squatters". My experience has always been that it was because of a failure to seek or accept assistance, whether that reason was due to mental illness or substance abuse, it was still a failure to avail themselves of help that was readily available. So, my question to you is, were the conditions you witnessed due to a lack of social safety nets? A lack of legal status? A lack of availability of public housing? What lack existed - exists?

The US is the nation that has been known to house its homeless in *hotels*. We have homeless shelters. We have public housing, even if they are "hell holes" in their own right they are palatial in comparison to the "irregular housing" of most international mega-cities.

Truly, I am genuinely seeking perspective. I've not ever been to NY city or its environs, much less its "irregular housing".

Oct 26, 2009

Ian May said...

There are, of course, homeless people the world over. As Debi points out in her answer to Rick, this is often due to their own failures (even if those failures aren't directly within their control). No amount of safety nets or comprehensive welfare systems are ever going to stop some people falling through those nets.

I perceive a wider gap between rich and poor, between those in good housing and poor housing; the haves and have-nots in the US than I do in Western European countries, and the UK.

However, one can still find those living in a cardboard box on the streets of London, Paris, and Madrid.

What planet does the UN inhabit?

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