International Union of Tenants
The International Union of Tenants (IUT) is a non-governmental organisation founded in 1926 in Zürich, Switzerland, with the purpose of safeguarding the interests of tenants and promotion of affordable healthy housing throughout the world. IUT is a non-party political organisation, working along democratic lines. The headquarters of IUT is in Stockholm, Sweden.
In February 2016, IUT had 66 member associations in 44 countries. IUT has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council and the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) - Committee on Human Settlements and participatory status with the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France.
Sven Bergenstråhle, from Sweden, has been president since 2010. Vice presidents are Jan Laurier (the Netherlands) and Richard Hewgill (United Kingdom). The secretary general is Magnus Hammar.
IUT runs a liaison office in the European Union, in Brussels. Barbra Steenbergen is head of IUT's office there.
Activities
The activities of IUT include:
- Information through Internet.
- The Global Tenant quarterly printed magazine, in English, and distributed digitally also in French and Russian.
- Seminars and local activities, in particular in Central and East Europe and the CEE region.
- Co-ordinate activities for the International Tenants´ Day / UN World Habitat Day, first Monday in October.
- EU: Lobbying and disseminating information through IUT’s office in Brussels, and through the European Housing Forum network, EHF, also in Brussels.
- Partnership with UN agencies, such as Economic Commission for Europe in Geneva, and UN Habitat UN Human Settlements Programme, in Nairobi.