THE RIGHT TO HOUSING NEWSLETTER
MAY 2013 ...................................................................................................................................................................................
The Right to Housing
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Who we are and what we do
Seven Towers New Lodge, Belfast
Where it all started: Seven Towers, New Lodge The Seven Towers Residents Group has been active in the towers for over 5 years surveying residents on the doors to find out what the problems are and putting pressure on the
Minister for housing – through human rights monitoring, campaigns, actions, and publicity - on a regular basis to hold the Minister, the Department and the NIHE to account.
What residents of the Towers working with PPR have achieved over the years:
• Successfully campaigning to have many families rehoused from flats into suitable accommodation. • Forcing changes in multimillion pound plans which ignored resident’s needs. • Improving housing conditions including forcing the Housing Executive to deal with sewerage, pigeon waste and unsafe balconies.
for damages caused by poor housing conditions. • Raising awareness of religious inequality in north Belfast housing and campaigning for housing equality. • In 2012 the United Nations High Commissioners Office recognised the work of the Group as “an example of how people can effectively use indicators to claim their rights.”
• Helping residents’ get compensation
And there’s much, much more to do
PPR puts the power of human rights in the hands of those who need it most. We help groups use human rights in practical ways to make real change in their communities. The groups launch campaigns which measure success when change is seen on the ground, not when government and public bodies make a promise. The PPR supported housing group, the Seven Towers Residents Group, have campaigned for years for positive change in the New Lodge flats, and have now branched out to help other residents across North Belfast.
More Information PPR also supports groups campaigning on a wide range of human rights issues such as mental health, employment, welfare, and homelessness. Go to our website to learn more www.pprproject.org You can also contact us via: Phone - 02890313315 Email - sean@pprproject.org Facebook - bit.ly/16DGkau Twitter - @PPR_Org