Operationalization of the Human Right to Adequate Housing in Mexico: A Multifactorial Indicator Proposal

Abstract

The constitutional right to adequate housing in México faces significant challenges due to public policies historically focused on economic and neoliberal criteria. The transition from "dignified and decent housing" to "adequate housing," based on UN standards, requires integrating dimensions such as legal security, habitability, accessibility, and cultural adequacy, among others. This shift necessitates normative alignment and the development of specific indicators to measure and evaluate the fulfillment of this human right. This research proposes the creation of a multifactorial indicator to operationalize adequate housing by: i) defining an epistemic foundation based on architectural and urban planning theorists, as well as institutional perspectives; ii) establishing the international and national regulatory framework; iii) characterizing Mexican housing; and iv) integrating preexisting indicators developed by institutions such as the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), the Secretariat of Agrarian, Territorial, and Urban Development (SEDATU), and the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (CONEVAL), aligning them with adequate housing standards grounded in the proposed epistemic foundation. The indicator incorporates the seven dimensions of adequate housing defined by the UN and combines quantitative and qualitative approaches to capture the complexity of the Mexican context. The results highlight the need for intersectoral public policies that prioritize spatial scales beyond internal habitability, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability. Moreover, the implementation of this indicator aims to evaluate existing policies, identify gaps, and design effective strategies to guarantee the right to adequate housing, thereby fostering integral human development and social inclusion.