Villeurbanne Endorses Homeless Bill of Rights

Today (Friday 16th October) the French commune of Villeurbanne in the Metropolis of Lyon will endorse the Homeless Bill of Rights, making it the first French commune to endorse the Bill. This follows a unanimous vote by the Municipal Council of Villeurbanne on Monday to adopt the Bill.

Cédric Van Styvendeal shared the news on Monday, stating « Avec l'ensemble des acteurs, nous veillerons au respect de l'inconditionnalité des droits. » ("With all the players, we will ensure that the unconditionality of rights is respected”).

Speaking to ActuLyon, Véronique Gilet, Regional Director Auvergne Rhône-Alpes at the Fondation Abbé Pierre, said « C’est un engagement de fond et dans le temps [...] pour s’assurer que les personnes démunies et contraintes de dormir dehors ne le soient plus. » (“It is a profound and long-lasting commitment … to ensure that those who are destitute and forced to sleep outside are no longer in this situation”).

The Homeless Bill of Rights is a compilation of basic rights drawn from European and international human rights instruments specific to the situation of homeless people. The aim of this European campaign is to encourage cities in Europe to reaffirm their commitment to respect the rights of people experiencing homelessness.

International obligations at United Nations level oblige Member States to end homelessness by 2030. The Urban Poverty Partnership of the European Commission has called on cities to take human rights-based approaches to tackling urban poverty and homelessness.

Find out how Villeurbanne plans to apply the Homeless Bill of Rights to their current and future work on homelessness in this press kit.