E
UNITED
NATIONS
Economic and Social
Council
Distr.
GENERAL
E/CN.4/Sub.2/2005/17
28 June 2005
Original: ENGLISH
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Sub-Commission on the Promotion and
Protection of Human Rights
Fifty-sixth session
Item 4 of the provisional agenda
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
Housing and property restitution in the context of the return
of refugees and internally displaced persons
Final report of the Special Rapporteur, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro
Principles on housing and property restitution for refugees
and displaced persons
Summary
At its fifty-sixth session the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human
Rights, in its resolution 2004/2, welcomed the progress report of the Special Rapporteur and
requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to circulate
the draft principles on housing and property restitution for refugees and displaced persons
contained therein widely among non-governmental organizations, Governments, specialized
agencies and other interested parties for comment, and requested the Special Rapporteur to take
those comments into account in the preparation of his final report to be considered by the
Sub-Commission at its fifty-seventh session.
This final report submitted by the Special Rapporteur reflects the results of this intensive
consultation process and presents the Principles on housing and property restitution for refugees
and displaced persons in their final version.
The addendum to this report contains explanatory notes on the principles. The
explanatory notes identify the provisions of international human rights, refugee and humanitarian
law and related standards which serve as the foundation on which the principles themselves
are built.
GE.05-14695 (E) 040705