Today, the National Housing Council announced its Terms of Reference for the review panel, which will be called Neha. Neha will examine the right to safe, adequate and affordable housing for women, Two Spirit, and gender-diverse people, and the government’s duty to uphold this right.
From the review panel, Neha:
Neha (pronounced Neigh-ha) is a Kanien’kéha-Mohawk word meaning “our ways.” It describes a way of life that is open, peaceful, supportive, and healing. Neha will be a space where all people can share their experiences and work together towards solutions.
The purple and cream colours of the circle are inspired by the colours of the wampum belt. Whenever possible gender-neutral language has been used to ensure the inclusion of all rights holders. It is recognized, however, that some of the terminology used in this circle design may still be limited by current language norms.
Neha will focus on:
- The impact of the failure to uphold the right to safe, adequate and affordable housing for women, Two Spirit and gender-diverse people, including the impact that this issue has on the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing in Canada;
- The actions and inactions of the Government of Canada (e.g., laws, policies, programs, regulations, recommendations, commitments, action plans, strategies, etc.) that have led to the failure to uphold the right of women, Two Spirit and gender-diverse people to safe, adequate and affordable housing, including the impact that these actions and inactions have on the Government of Canada’s national and international commitments to housing and human rights.
- Solutions within the jurisdiction of Parliament to address the issue and progressively realize the right to adequate housing in Canada.
The panel is committed to rights focused solutions and invites participants to use the following questions to guide their reflection:
- Vision: What is your vision for safe and affordable housing?
- Knowledge: What knowledge can be used to inform or support this vision?
- Reason: Why is this vision important?
- Action: What actions are needed to make this vision a reality?
Read the full Terms of Reference here.
This is exciting news!
Neha will soon announce when the submission portal will open and the timelines for written and oral testimony!
That means if you haven’t signed up for our newsletter or filled out the form to become a Community Champion–now is the time.
Visit nhc-cnl.ca for more information!
