Representatives from governments, civil society and academia on Monday issued the appeal at a World Habitat Day gathering in Muscat, Oman.

Held under the theme “Adequate Housing for All”, the event called for greater investment in communities and closer cooperation among governments, businesses and civil society organisations. “Adequate housing is not a luxury. It is a foundation for a dignified life and for sustainable cities,” UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach said.

“Housing needs to be treated as a public priority alongside land and basic services.”

More than 3 billion people are denied adequate housing, while over 1 billion live in informal settlements and slums. Many others are homeless or have been displaced by conflict, disasters and climate change.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres described adequate housing as “the foundation of dignity, security and opportunity”.

Guterres said investment in housing and the transformation of informal settlements could reduce poverty and inequality while strengthening climate resilience and social stability.

UN Habitat Assembly President Nga Kor Ming said access to a physical structure alone was insufficient. “A house without clean water, safety or legal security is not a home. It is a poverty trap,” Ming said.

“To deliver adequate housing for all, we must move away from quick fixes to systemic transformation.”

The UN considers housing adequate when conditions meet seven requirements, including access to services, affordability, habitability, accessibility and a suitable location. “Adequate housing means much more than a physical structure with four walls and a roof,” Rossbach said.

“A family may have a roof and still spend so much on rent that there is little left for food, education or healthcare.”

Guterres called for coordinated action by national and local governments, stronger partnerships and greater use of data in housing decisions.

The international financial system should also be reformed to provide developing countries with predictable and affordable financing for large-scale housing investment. “On this World Habitat Day, let us treat housing as a public good and build a world where everyone has a place to call home,” Guterres said.

World Habitat Day, celebrated October 5, begins Urban October, a month-long campaign promoting adequate housing and sustainable urban development.

–UN/ChannelAfrica-