Habitat for Humanity issues statement on Sustainable Development Goal 11
Global housing nonprofit calls for transformative action prioritizing adequate housing and informal settlements
ATLANTA (July 13, 2023) —The COVID-19 pandemic revealed both immense challenges and opportunities for cities, especially for people living in slums and other informal settlements. It illustrated how adequate housing worldwide is an essential infrastructure for well-being. As the world convenes to review progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals at the United Nations High-level Political Forum in New York, whose theme is “Accelerating the recovery from COVID-19 and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” it is imperative to acknowledge that the UN’s call to “leave no one behind” will require an intensified focus on the housing needs of people living in informal settlements.
Throughout the pandemic, there was increasing recognition that the global housing challenge is vast in its scale, scope and trajectory. As UN-Habitat reported this week in its update on progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 11, roughly 2.8 billion people are estimated to be affected by different forms of housing inadequacy, of whom close to 1.1 billion reside in slums and other informal settlements. At the current pace, by 2030, 40% of the world will live in inadequate housing.
In 2021, Habitat for Humanity reported on the concerning regression of SDG 11.1, which aims “to ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums” and is stagnating for the third year in a row. The global health crisis, alongside global disruptions like conflict and climate-driven displacement, has had a huge impact on all sectors. It’s crucial for all stakeholders to realize that progress towards SDG 11 must be prioritized, as the burdens on people in cities and informal settlements will only intensify.
Globally, there have been steps taken to ensure progress towards SDG 11. At the Second UN-Habitat Assembly in June 2023, Habitat for Humanity celebrated the approval by an overwhelming majority of member states of two fundamental resolutions on “accelerating transformation of informal settlements and slums by 2030,” and “adequate housing for all.” These resolutions are meaningful milestones, particularly in the run-up to the SDG Summit in September 2023, because they pave the way for more ambitious and renewed actions towards SDG 11 from a wider range of stakeholders at the global and local levels.
However, while commitments are important, so too are actions. Member states hold the responsibility to fulfill the calls to action that are embodied in the resolutions, and to fully commit to achieving SDG 11. This includes appropriate financing to guarantee access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services, with particular emphasis on slum transformation.
It is in the interest of all governments to address informal settlement transformation as a means of achieving SDG 11, not only for the well-being of their residents, but for the whole country. Habitat for Humanity recently released a report that illustrates how adequate housing in informal settlements ensures the well-being not only of its vulnerable residents, but of society as a whole. Investing in informal settlements as infrastructure for sustainable development has proven significant spillover effects in terms of economic growth, health and education. Low-income countries would benefit greatly – up to 10.5% increase in GDP, up to 2.4 years added to life expectancy and up to 28% increase in expected years of schooling. These benefits outweigh any global costs.
For meaningful progress to be made, Habitat for Humanity specifically calls on:
- Member states to commit to further accelerating progress towards SDG 11 by prioritizing housing as infrastructure for sustainable human development. Member states must commit to assessing, planning and developing the necessary institutional arrangements and governance structures, as well as operationalizing and funding their commitment to the resolutions on “accelerating transformation in informal settlements” and “adequate housing for all” at a scale that is proportional to the global challenge.
- The international development community, in particular the G7, to elevate informal settlement transformation as a lever for sustainable development. This can be done by scaling up official and concessional financial flows to overseas development assistance recipients, multilateral institutions engaged in efforts supporting slum upgrading and adequate housing for countries prioritizing these programs.
- Local governments to further implement the sustainable development agenda, including the development of ambitious plans that prioritize adequate housing, particularly in informal settlements, and to act as key enablers of community participation in upgrading initiatives.
- All stakeholders to prioritize knowledge and data on housing and its impacts by, about and for informal settlement communities, as a means of achieving more comprehensive and meaningful SDG 11 reporting of sustainable urban development.
About Habitat for Humanity
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability, and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.