THIS MOST RECENT global survey on forced evictions, compiled by the Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), covers the years 1994–1997, and examines cases involving over 3 million people in 31 countries. The editors stress that the report does not pretend to be comprehensive, but should be considered as a cross-section. The absence of a particular country in this survey does not necessarily mean that the situation in that country complies with international law.

Individual country reports provide information on the context within which evictions took place, descriptions of the evictions and, where possible, accounts of the repercussions for those affected. In each case, the report indicates whether the country in question is party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), which guarantees the right to adequate housing; and whether the country recognizes the right to housing within its national Constitution.

Although the country reports outline only those evictions that have already taken place, based on first-hand information, COHRE also discusses its concern for the estimated 14 million who are currently threatened with eviction because of existing plans and projects. COHRE maintains that the exposure of concrete cases of eviction documented in this report can bring pressure to bear on states before these further violations are allowed to take place.

The final section of the book includes General Comment No 7 on Forced Evictions, the most far reaching international standard to emerge from the UN; also a set of comprehensive human rights guidelines on eviction, prepared in 1997 by an Expert Seminar on Forced Evictions convened by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.