About Leilani
Leilani Farha has deep expertise in housing policy, finance, tenants' rights, and homelessness and their intersections. Always guided by human rights.
Leilani is known for her exceptional subject matter expertise, creative and nimble thinking, and vision.
She was the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing from 2014 to 2020 and is Global Director of an international human rights organization, The Shift.
Leilani has developed global human rights standards and research reports on a range of housing-related topics including: model legislation, institutional investment and banking in housing, housing affordability. She has developed practical guidance for governments on homelessness, short term rentals, and evictions. Leilani is known for her ability to work with trust across sectors and with diverse groups of people - from government officials to those living in homeless encampments.
Leilani co-hosts a bi-monthly podcast PUSHBACK Talks focused on the future of cities, and is the central character in the documentary PUSH regarding the financialization of housing.
Leilani co-launched The Shift → in 2017 with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and United Cities and Local Government.
“Housing is a social good and a human right, essential for human well-being. It’s not a commodity.”
Leilani has visited hundreds of people in their homes in every region of the world. Houses, apartments, informal settlements, encampments, on sidewalks. She’s seen and heard their home truths. She brings human rights into practice, working with governments, civil society organizations, and social movements for systems change to address the housing needs of those who are precariously housed and homeless.