A/HRC/16/42 provide a window of opportunity for implementing positive changes. Care must be taken, however, to ensure that good intentions are grounded in ‘Do no harm’ principles for humanitarian action.”58 57. Given the lessons of the past two decades, and the institutional reforms already initiated, humanitarian agencies, and one would assume bilateral donors, are now much more aware of the risk of doing unintended long-term harm through well-meaning early action which ends up increasing the vulnerability of the poor. In the area of the right to adequate housing and particularly on the issues of security of tenure, location, cultural adequacy and availability of services, facilities and infrastructure, at least, the time has come for “Do no harm” guidelines to move to a next step where specific tools for timely analysis and proactive interventions (“Do the right thing”) are provided at the field level. IV. Conclusions and recommendations 58. Violations of the right to adequate housing can both contribute to and result from armed conflicts and natural disasters. The poorer and marginalized members of society are disproportionately affected. Addressing existing vulnerabilities can play an important role in both preventing and mitigating the impacts of disasters and conflicts. States should therefore: • Urgently step up their efforts to respect, protect and fulfil the right to adequate housing, in all its dimensions, in both urban and rural contexts; • Develop and implement land tenure reform policies and programmes that make suitably located, secure, safe and affordable housing accessible to all; • Recognize and protect a variety of land tenure forms, instead of a predominant or exclusive focus on freehold ownership. 59. In the wake of a specific disaster or conflict, the right to adequate housing should be integrated as a key component of planning, preparation and implementation of any ensuing humanitarian, reconstruction and development responses. 60. Governments, with sustained support from international support agencies, should provide immediate, temporary shelter in reasonable adequate living conditions for anyone displaced by conflict or disaster. 61. In preparing for reconstruction and development, all relevant parties and actors should acknowledge that housing has an inherent social value of vital importance for social stability, alleviation of poverty and development. Any response to the impacts of conflicts or disasters on the right to adequate housing should go beyond a focus on the damage, loss or destruction of shelter and infrastructure and should seek to address, inter alia: • The disruption of social and economic relationships and networks; • The destruction of home-centred livelihoods; • The specific rights and concerns of women and other groups particularly vulnerable to discrimination; • Compromised access to facilities, amenities and livelihood opportunities; 58 UN-Habitat, Land and Natural Disasters. Guidance for Practitioners, (Nairobi) p. 10. 19