World Cup Popular Committee at Rio +20 Peoples' Summit

The Popular Committee of those Affected by the World Cup organised a panel discussion on the impact of the World Cup on the urban poor.  The event also was the occasion to launch a second edition of the report by Raquel Rolnik, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing, on "Mega-events and human rights", which catalogues the violations of the rights of shanty town dwellers, street vendors and other groups which have been affected by the World Cup infrastructure projects, and social "cleansing" projects.  The report includes the Declaration on the Demands of Street Vendors from the 12 host cities which was drawn up on 26th October 2011, during the StreetNet International forum on street vending.

There were representatives from 8 of the 12 World Cup host cities, who explained how the infrastrucutre projects are being used to accelerate proceedings to clear shanty towns in prime real estate sites and how the housing offered by the Municipality as alternatives is either far from their current homes or there are no clear alternatives on offer.  The Committee has adopted the slogan "a key for a key"' meaning they will not leave their current homes until they are satisfied there are adequate alternatives. 

Valdina from the Sao Paulo Street Vendors' Forum spoke about the situation in Sao Paolo where the Mayor, Gilberto Kassabe, issued a decree (No 53.154) banning all street vending in the city with effect from 20th June 2012.  She explained that although the Public Attorney had filed a successful legal case against this decree,the Mayor's ban had been upheld  by the HIgh Court of Sao Paolo and the ban will go ahead.  The Forum of Street Vendors of Sao Paolo will hold a mass protest on 20th June outside the Tribunal of Justice.