A/HRC/43/43 Independent complaints mechanisms must be available where activities or projects of international or regional financial institutions or development banks fail to support the realization of the right to housing of those most in need. Guideline No. 15. Ensure effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms 77. Independent monitoring of the implementation of the right to housing is a central component of the obligation to progressively realize the right. 89 States tend to misunderstand the obligation to monitor progress as being merely a matter of collecting and disseminating data about housing programs, homelessness, expenditures and aggregate demographics. Evidence considered is often restricted to statistical information, without qualitative evidence based on experiences of rights holders. In many countries disaggregated data based on gender, race, disability, age, family status and income are not collected due to either the lack of technical capacity or absence of legislation allowing it. Monitoring is often conducted by governments themselves, rather than by independent institutions. 78. As noted by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, human rights institutions (or similar bodies mandated to focus specifically on the right to housing) can play an important role in identifying appropriate goals and benchmarks, providing research, monitoring compliance and examining complaints. 90 If States are to take seriously their commitment under target 11.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals, they must institute rigorous independent monitoring of progress, based on realistic goals and timelines and with the means to hold Governments and others accountable. 79. Implementation measures: (a) Independent monitoring bodies should be mandated and properly resourced to monitor the realization of the right to housing in a transparent and participatory manner. They should have the capacity to hear complaints from concerned people or groups, undertake visits, conduct investigations, commission surveys and convene public hearings to gather information. Public authorities should be required to provide a response to reports from monitoring bodies and to take follow-up action within a reasonable period of time. Parliamentary hearings should be utilized to provide periodic public review of progress and effective government responses; (b) Monitoring progress on the implementation of the right to housing should be focused on assessing compliance with the obligation to progressively realize the right. It should include the collection of qualitative and quantitative data related to dignity and the experience of rights holders with respect to all aspects of the right to housing, including security of tenure, availability of services, affordability, habitability, accessibility, location, cultural adequacy, homelessness and evictions. Statistical and qualitative information with appropriate safeguards should also be collected on the housing circumstances of groups facing systemic discrimination, on structural barriers to housing and on the outcomes of measures taken to address such barriers. Major trends and emerging challenges should also be identified; (c) Progress should be assessed in relation to capacity and available resources, and whether Governments have made reasonable efforts to meet established targets and timelines in accordance with housing strategies and the Sustainable Development Goals; (d) Monitoring should extend to all sectors of housing systems, including private business enterprises and real estate markets. 91 89 90 91 20 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, art. 16, and Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comments No. 3, para. 11, and No. 4, para. 13. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment No. 10 (1998) on the role of national human rights institutions in the protection of economic, social and cultural rights. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, principle No. 5.