Safeguard the Right to Adequate Housing for All

Preamble:

Recognizing the fundamental importance of the right to adequate housing, as
defined in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, which requires more
than just four walls and a roof, but a number of conditions that must be met
before particular forms of shelter can be considered to constitute “adequate
housing,” including security of tenure, availability of services, materials,
facilities and infrastructure, affordability, habitability, accessibility,
location and cultural adequacy.

Whereas the war in Ukraine, as a consequence of the Russian invasion, and the
post-pandemic market shock that followed multiple financial crises, has led to a
global economic downturn, and has put young people throughout the planet in a
vulnerable position in terms of job opportunities, working conditions, and
remuneration. Whereas the current situation has turned young people into victims
of a price surge that they never had the chance to prepare themselves for, and
to which they have not contributed.

Whereas the rapid and vast technological development has mostly been wasted into
overproduction and overconsumption, causing a significant toll on global
resources and our natural environment, and the banking sector has lived on debt
that has been passed onto governments and citizens.

Whereas this finds us, the young generation, as the first-ever generation that
will earn less than its predecessors, while working more and with fewer
securities. The buying power of people below the age of 35 has diminished, and
we are most likely to live indefinitely either in rental homes or in debt or
both.

Whereas throughout Europe, over 50% of people below 35 cannot afford to rent
accommodation, with significantly larger percentages in the European south and
Western Europe, where salaries have remained stagnant while the cost of living
has multiplied, without disregarding the surge of prices in the European North,
that find an average Danish student spending 66% of their income in rent.*

We want to acknowledge these realities and call on the national governments of
the member countries of the EU and the European institutions to:

Recognize and protect the right to adequate housing, as defined in the United
Nations Declaration of Human Rights, which requires more than just four walls
and a roof, but a number of conditions that must be met before particular forms
of shelter can be considered to constitute “adequate housing,” including
security of tenure, availability of services, materials, facilities and
infrastructure, affordability, habitability, accessibility, location and
cultural adequacy.

Provide incentives and develop models through which the national median salaries
will be adjusted according to the annual inflation growth rate, so that young
people have access to sufficient resources to secure adequate housing.

Develop and promote the development of social housing with transparent and fair
criteria, to ensure that young people have access to safe, secure and affordable
housing.

Develop and promote the development of schemes for subsidized rents for young
people below the age of 30, who are either studying or not working or work but
receive remuneration below the basic national income, to ensure that housing is
affordable.

Develop schemes and promote sustainable housing in rural areas, to ensure that
young people have access to safe, secure and affordable housing, regardless of
where they choose to live.

Provide incentives and reward low carbon footprint, for example, apply a notable
discount on electricity bills below a certain level of energy consumption, to
ensure that housing is sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Take into account the specific needs of disadvantaged and marginalized groups,
such as people with disabilities, in the design and development of housing
policies and schemes, to ensure that housing is accessible and meets the needs
of all.

We also call on the private sector to invest in sustainable housing and offer
fair wages and working conditions for young workers.

Finally, we acknowledge that young people's experiences of housing insecurity
and precarious work are often influenced by other factors such as gender, race,
and immigration status.

Therefore, we call on governments to take into account these intersectionalities
and propose measures that are inclusive of all young people.

We also emphasize the importance of collective action and solidarity among young
people in Europe and beyond.

We call for the promotion of networks and platforms for young people to share
their experiences and advocate for their rights, as well as collaboration with
other social justice movements to address the root causes of housing insecurity
and precarious work.

We urge the governments of the member countries of the EU and the European
institutions to take immediate action to address the challenges facing young
people in Europe and to uphold their right to Adequate Housing and in extension
to Independent Living.

*EUROSTUDENT VI – Overview and selected findings Social and Economic Conditions
of Student Life in Europe