Mr. President,
We agree with the Rapporteur that the housing conditions of migrants are often worse than those of nationals, as a result of discriminatory policies, racism and xenophobia, which lead to their social marginalisation.
Discrimination remains one of the most pervasive obstacles worldwide to the realisation of the right to adequate housing.
The growing hateful rhetoric seen in many developed countries is shameful and unacceptable.
Migrants are criminalised and their most basic human rights are violated as a result of zero-tolerance policies. They are unjustly accused of worsening the economic and housing crisis, when in fact they are victims of this crisis and of an unjust international order that has condemned most Southern countries to poverty.
The implementation of unilateral coercive measures also negatively impacts the right to adequate housing. The economic blockade imposed by the United States government causes Cuba losses amounting to some 14 million dollars a day.
The money that Cuba is deprived of during 9 months of blockade would be enough to build 467,000 new houses, which would solve the housing deficit in our country.
This Council must maintain a firm stance in rejecting these criminal policies, which violate the human rights of millions of people.
Thank you.