Statements

Statement

Regarding yesterday’s BIEL incident and the “encroachment” speech on the waterfront

English 3-liner
On May 18, a large number of security forces arrived at BIEL and began relocating displaced families, who had settled there due to the lack of safe alternatives, to a limited area within the same property.
The municipality is estimated to provide between 200 and 300 tents, while approximately 600 families currently reside in the area, with no clarity regarding the fate of those families who will not receive a tent. Meanwhile, many of the displaced Syrians have fled the area, fearing the actions of the security forces.
This event was accompanied by escalating rhetoric claiming that the displaced refuse to move to shelters, and therefore are “squatting” in downtown Beirut, hindering tourism.
In this statement, we clarify some points concerning the rights of displaced communities in safe displacement shelters that they choose and adapt, and the need for the state’s support that prioritizes the safety, security and wellbeing of the displaced communities.

Statement

Securing the Right to Housing and Return: An Open Letter to Officials on Tripoli’s Building Collapse Crisis

As Tripoli’s building collapse crisis deepens. This letter calls on public officials to ensure that the government’s Emergency Plan measures protect residents from long-term displacement through dignified alternative housing and guaranteed return.

Statement

Open the Empty Buildings – Public and Private- and Apply Rent Control

Thousands of displaced families are sleeping on the Corniche sidewalks, the beach, and in public squares, left without shelter. This situation is a direct result of the government’s shortcomings in its plan to accommodate the growing number of displaced people, exacerbated by Israel’s orders to evacuate more than 80 towns in the south and all of southern Beirut.

We are here to reiterate the following options for effectively responding to the escalating displacement crisis, in light of the evolving security situation and the imperative to guarantee the right to housing, which is being violated on an unprecedented scale during wars.

Statement

بيان صحفي: ندوة لاستديو أشغال عامة بعنوان “إعادة الإعمار في لبنان: التجارب والدروس”

عقد استديو أشغال عامة، بالشراكة مع المعهد الفرنسي للشرق الأدنى – IFPO، ندوة بعنوان “إعادة الإعمار في لبنان: التجارب والدروس” في الحمرا – بيروت. استضافت الندوة الباحثين/ات والناشطين/ات في مجال التخطيط الحضري منى …

Statement

A Call to Protect Cultural Properties following the Israeli Aggressions on Lebanon

Following the Israeli aggression against Lebanon, which killed thousands of civilians and targeted a large number of villages and towns in the southern and Bekaa regions, in addition to the southern suburbs of …

Statement

WUF12: Disconnecting from Reality in a Region Struggling for Housing Rights

The World Urban Forum (WUF) was created to drive real change in cities by connecting global goals with local action. The WUF12 program appears to have decontextualized the core purpose of the World …

Statement

Security forces threaten displaced women in the Hamra area with violence and eviction from a vacant building

What measures should the authorities take when vacant buildings are occupied by displaced people due to the war?

After the Zionist escalation of civilian homes, Lebanese families were displaced from the Bekaa, the southern suburb and the south, sheltering inside the Hamra Star building on property 70, which had been vacant …

Statement

On the state’s responsibility in facing the effects of war

In light of the Israeli aggression that has relentlessly destroyed our cities and villages, the state’s crisis is worsening in its failure to fulfill its responsibilities towards the displaced and targeted, which constitutes …

Statement

Urgent World Habitat Day Appeal: End Israeli Occupation and Criminalise Domicide

Global Crisis of Housing Rights Violations in Palestine and Lebanon

As the United Nations marks World Habitat Day on October 7, we are encouraged to “reflect on the state of towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter.” …

Statement

Public Works Studio hosted a seminar titled “Environmental Genocide in Palestine and Southern Lebanon”

Public Works Studio organized a seminar titled “Environmental Genocide in Palestine and Southern Lebanon,” featuring the participation of the Minister of Environment, Nasser Yassin, Professor of Sociology at AUB, Sari Hanafi, and researcher …

Statement

Tear Down the Wall! Stop the Genocide in Gaza Now!

Housing Justice Network Statement on Palestine

Today we launch the Housing Justice Network in the MENA Region with a public denunciation of the atrocities committed by the state of Israel in Gaza and the wider region. As local housing …

Statement

Our Position on COP28

This statement marks the launch of the Network for Spatial and Environmental Justice (NSEJ), a newly formed network of individuals and organizations committed to exploring the intersection of urbanization, the environment, and climate …