Resource / Imagining housing as a human right
We’ve all heard stories in the media, from friends and family about the struggles to find housing that is adequate,
accessible, affordable and suitable for the changing climate. And we know that cost of living challenges and rate rises are making what should be a basic need – a roof over one’s head – ever harder to secure. Housing should be a right, something that is available to all and our homes should meet our diverse needs.
We think members of our community know what a fairer, more caring, equitable and affordable housing system could look and feel like. So we asked to hear your stories and ideas. To all those tenants, homeowners and community members who provided insight into different ways of “doing housing” in our community and our nation, thank you for sharing your unique and valuable perspective.
Now that our housing consultation has closed, WHGNE is thrilled to launch the resulting housing report – Housing is a Human Right. A gendered examination of the housing system: Advocacy for systemic change.
Read more of our work advocating for a fair, caring and equitable housing system.
You can watch the launch of the Housing as a Human Right report below:
The Victorian Government recently held an Inquiry into the Supply of Regional Homes in Victoria. WHGNE contributed a submission informed by the community consultation undertaken for the development of our Housing as a Human Right report.
Our recommendations included:
- Strengthen policy and regulations that ensure new and existing builds, as well as public and private rental housing supply in Victoria is subject to minimum energy efficiency standards, with recognition of insulation, draughtproofing, cooling and hot water systems.
- Develop an intersectional equity audit for plans, significant land use actions, and local legislation to ensure all community members—particularly those facing systemic barriers—have equal access to decision-making and consultation for equitable land use.
- Work with local governments to ensure regulations support, rather than create barriers to accessing diverse housing options, like granny flats and tiny homes, as well as climate safe additions to homes like solar panel installation.
- Investigate avenues to broaden and diversify public housing supply and review previous policies and government initiatives supplying housing to essential workers, like the Victorian Teacher Housing Authority, particularly in regional areas with workforce shortages in health, education and care sectors.
At the beginning of August, we launched our report, Housing as a Human Right. A Gendered Examination of the Housing System: Advocacy for Systemic Change.
We’re thrilled to invite everyone who is interested in creating a fair and just housing system to engage with this work, which has been informed by the lived and living experience of people across our region:
The Gender Equity ELEARNING HUB has two courses to allow you to explore the different elements of our Housing Report interactively:
Housing as a Human Right: Recommendation for Change focuses on the recommendations for policy change and how we can drive systemic change to embed housing as a human right.
Explore this course here.
Housing as a Human Right: What the Community Says focuses on what locals across our region told us about housing. By understanding what our community needs, we can all be better informed as we advocate for change in housing policy.
Explore this course here.
Housing is a basic human right.
And yet, as Homelessness Week rolls around again this week, we’re made acutely aware of the fact that this is a right that remains unmet and unfulfilled for large – and ever-growing – numbers of people in our communities.
Read more here.
The HOUSING AUSTRALIA FUTURE FUND, is slated to support the construction of 20,000 new social housing dwellings – 4000 of which will be allocated to women and children impacted by family and domestic violence and older women at risk of homelessness – as well as building 10,000 new “affordable housing dwellings, including for frontline workers.”
These are worthy plans, and we’ll be watching and advocating to ensure regional and rural communities like ours are explicitly included in the conversation and the unfolding of these plans. However, the Future Fund is just the beginning when it comes to addressing the housing crisis.
We already know that other measures are urgently needed to transform housing from “profit-creating asset” to universally accessible human right and basic service.
Read more here
Domestic and family violence makes a woman’s home the least safe place she can be. But house price and rental inflation is making finding somewhere new to live so difficult, that many women fleeing violence return to perpetrators and the risk of violence. Or into homelessness.
This is happening in our very own communities, right now.
Read more here.
This directory is designed to support workers in the community sector to have a conversation with women to identify issues and challenges that reduce their capacity to manage their money well.
Read more here.
Women’s Health Goulburn North East (WHGNE) has responded to the release of a new study into women’s access to housing outside the capital cities by urging governments to consider the gendered factors driving homelessness in regional areas and provide greater funding for affordable regional housing.
Read more here.