Right to the City (RTC) - origin - French philosopher Henri Lefebvre, 1968
Q. Which of the following is/are true regarding the Right to the City (RTC)?
1) The term Right to the City has its origin in the writings of French philosopher Voltaire.
2) Though migrants are allowed for RTC, refugee migrants are not eligible for RTC.- Published on 13 Oct 16a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER: Neither 1 nor 2
- The term Right to the City has its origin in the writings of French philosopher Henri Lefebvre in his 1968 book Le Droit à la ville.
- It prioritises collective right over the individual right to urban space. It gives every inhabitant, and not just the legal citizens, the right to not only occupy a pre-existing urban space but also to produce such a space according to their needs.
- RTC would make it incumbent on city and state government to provide equal access to shelter and basic services to everyone irrespective of their legal status or duration of domicile in the city.
- Civil society groups point out that the resistance from EU countries is a result of the migrant crisis in Europe.
- EU’s official stated position is that RTC is not an agreed human right recognised by international human rights instruments.
- India’s position too was that managing migrants and refugees should be left to the individual nations and should not be dictated by the New Urban Agenda.
- This shows that even refugees can ask for RTC under the mandate of the New Urban Agenda.
