Leilani Farha

Leilani Farha is a Canadian lawyer who is the Global Director of THE SHIFT, an international human rights organization focused on housing, finance and climate.

[1][2] Farha is a lawyer and social worker by training (LLB/MSW)[3] and an alumna of the University of Toronto,[4] and has been an Executive Director of the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA) and Canada Without Poverty.

In her tenure as Special Rapporteur, she has focused on economic inequality and an absence of effective political representation for the poor as causes of homelessness or inadequate accommodation.

Lack of safety over cladding used, over electrical circuits and access to the building for fire and rescue vehicles could have breached human rights to safe and secure housing, Farha stated.

[10] SHIFT pursues its goals with the partnership of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and United Cities Local Government.