The Global Champions of Adequate Housing have issued a strong Call to Action on Adequate and Affordable Housing, urging countries and partners to prioritise housing as a foundation for sustainable development.
The Call was announced during the High-Level Roundtable of Global Champions on Adequate and Affordable Housing, held on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) at the UN Headquarters in New York. The roundtable was convened under the leadership of the Government of Kenya and President William Samoei Ruto and co-hosted with UN-Habitat.
“Adequate and affordable housing is not a privilege – it is a human right and the foundation for equality, resilience, and sustainable development,” said Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat. “We invite more Member States to join this commitment … and to work together to ensure every person has a safe and decent place to call home.”
Responding to a global crisis
Almost 3 billion people lack access to adequate housing, including 1.1 billion living in informal settlements and over 300 million who are homeless. The Call to Action urges countries to strengthen housing strategies, integrate housing with climate resilience and social protection, and scale up investment to address this urgent challenge.
The roundtable brought together heads of state, ministers and senior representatives from across regions to reaffirm political commitment, share experiences, and mobilize partnerships. It also reinforced the work of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Expert Working Group on Adequate Housing for All, co-chaired by Kenya and France.
Key commitments of the Call to Action
Through the Call to Action, the Global Champions committed to:
- Strengthen a global coalition to champion housing as a development priority.
- Mobilize financing and partnerships to accelerate delivery of affordable, resilient housing.
- Advance UN-Habitat Resolution 2/7 with measurable progress and accountability.
- Promote innovation and inclusion through sustainable technologies and locally driven solutions.
- Elevate housing on the global agenda at major international fora.
- Inspire collective action from governments, communities, civil society and the private sector.