Habitat International Coalition

Habitat International Coalition (HIC) is an independent, international, non-profit alliance of some 400 organizations and individuals working in the area of human settlements. The strength of the Coalition is based on its worldwide membership that includes social movements, grassroots organizations, civil society organizations, NGOs, academia and research institutions, and like-minded individuals from 80 countries in both North and South. A shared set of objectives bind and shape HIC's commitment to communities working to secure housing and improve their habitat conditions.

HIC pursues two chief objectives at local, national, regional and international levels through ever-emerging strategies and activities. First, HIC seeks the recognition, defense and full implementation of everyone's right everywhere to a secure place to live in peace and dignity. Second, the organization defends the human rights of the homeless, poor and inadequately housed. HIC achieves its objectives through supporting campaigns for housing rights; coordinating conferences; developing and applying monitoring and training methods; publishing advocacy, research, and fact-finding materials; supporting legal activity toward housing options; and facilitating networks and information exchanges. Among other initiatives, HIC has most recently been involved in the global implementation of popular and democratic strategies toward the planning, financing, construction and governance of human settlements called Social Production of Habitat.

WITNESS and HIC have partnered to incorporate video advocacy into local and global campaigns on forced evictions across the HIC global network.