Marking the International Women’s Day on March 8, 2022, the United Nations secretary-general called for turning the clock forward for every woman and every girl. It is a challenging call amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We share stories from Cambodia, New Zealand, India, Nepal, Philippines and Myanmar. These highlight women’s efforts to create a better and more sustainable future through home and land ownership, entrepreneurship and volunteering.

In the past, Ny from Cambodia had to repair her hut every few months after heavy rains, an expense her family could barely afford with their low wages. Building their own home with a vegetable garden marked a big change. “We no longer feel discriminated against. Now we can focus on growing vegetables for our daily consumption, and I can sell these vegetables to support my family. I hope this will improve our livelihood,” says Ny.

Both Brianne and Michelle had their share of challenges when they started their homeownership journeys over a decade ago in New Zealand. Brianne admitted she would have given up if not for the kids. But it’s worthwhile. “So once the children move out, they’ve got a home to come back to. They’ve got a backbone.” Former stay-at-home mother Michelle now works in a home improvement store. With newfound skills, she is keen to renovate her kitchen and bathroom. “I’ve got a whiteboard and I’ve written our home and personal goals. I’m really excited.”

To help support her family, Deepanjali turned her talent for designing concrete flowerpots into a business that manufactures doors, window frames and other concrete products. Now, she’s set her sights on helping her community in India’s Odisha state. “Currently, I have one person supporting me in my workshop. I want to expand my business so that I can provide employment to other people in my village,” says Deepanjali, who received training and support under Habitat India’s Project Nirmanshree. The European Union-funded project aims to equip women in India’s Odisha and Maharashtra states to contribute to the housing sector. “My association with Habitat for Humanity is helping me enhance my skills and diversify my products.”

Rupa and her family are Haliyas who were freed from their bonded agricultural labor under a formal declaration by the Nepal government in 2008. But life had not been easy for the Haliyas who are largely landless and live in inadequate housing. Rupa partnered with Habitat for Humanity Nepal to build her own home in Kanchanpur district, Sudurpashchim province, She also gained access to secure land tenure with Habitat’s support. Referring to the land title that now has her name, Rupa said, “No one in my family has had one before. It has empowered me. I went from being a very dependent wife to an empowered woman. In my village, women are never given land entitlement. It is only given to the men, so I am very proud that I have land entitlement.”

Mardee Tangian is making a difference in her community. The Habitat Philippines volunteer participated in a training created by Habitat for Humanity International and the International Federation of the Red Cross that teaches young emerging leaders how to help reduce disaster risks related to home safety in their neighborhoods. The training gave Mardee the confidence to lead a group of youth to reach out to the local government with a plan to help solve waste management issues. “Initially, they refused our projects,” says Mardee. “But we never gave up. We always remember that we are youth. We have the power to change anything.” Read more.

Volunteering with Habitat Myanmar inspired Daw Thin Thin Aye, a teacher, to train 300 students in her school in good hygienic practices. In December 2021, she helped Habitat to conduct hygiene promotion training in her village. After the training, she saw children in her village applying what they had learned, particularly handwashing. “I’m really proud of this project. I heard from the parents about the behavioral change in their children. As long as (I am) given the chance to work with school children, I am committed to transforming their lives by doing this every year,” says Daw Thin Thin Aye.

The eighth Asia-Pacific Housing Forum closes with a call to build forward better for greener, safer homes

MANILA (December 9, 2021) — The close of the eighth Asia-Pacific Housing Forum today signaled a beginning. Across public, private and people sectors, everyone who shares the vision for affordable and inclusive housing is called to collaborate, innovate and keep people at the center.

“The Asia-Pacific Housing Forum’s main theme of ’building forward better through inclusive housing‘ means that each one of us, especially the most vulnerable families we serve through housing solutions, has a voice in the process and a role to play in increasing access to a decent place to live,” said Luis Noda, Habitat for Humanity’s Asia-Pacific vice president and one of the speakers at the forum. “We must center our actions on the needs of the people to truly build in a greener, safer, more resilient way.”

More than 2,000 people registered for the biennial forum from December 7-9, 2021, that was held virtually for the first time. The event brought together industry leaders, innovators, policy experts, and various stakeholders to build more inclusive, healthy and resilient cities and communities. Organized by Habitat for Humanity and the European Union-funded SWITCH-Asia SCP Facility, the multisectoral event also aimed to inspire innovative, affordable housing technologies across the Asia-Pacific region.

Economic growth, and climate change adaptation were major cross-cutting themes for the forum. Participants had opportunities to engage with over 180 speakers and one another as well as to share best practices through 30 sessions organized under the four tracks. These are: Build resilient cities and communities; Innovative housing solutions and technologies; Advance sustainability in the housing sector; and Finance affordable housing. Three virtual side events — a training course on land tenure and land value capture, the third Youth Congress, and an Innovation Awards Grand Premiere — drew more than 900 participants.

In the lead-up to the eighth Asia-Pacific Housing Forum, several local housing forums were held.

• Samoa (December 2): the country’s first female prime minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa gave the keynote address.
• Fiji (November 29): participants at the hybrid event discussed market system difficulties and advancing sustainability in the housing sector.
• Cambodia (November 26): about 220 participants including informal settlement residents took part in the forum. They focused on the role of communities as well as citywide mapping in building resilience in cities.
• India (November 23-24): more than 700 people registered participants came together to collaborate and contribute to the Government of India’s vision of “Housing for All.”
• Philippines (November 10-11): presidential candidates joined experts and leaders and shared how they would make housing a priority in their campaigns.
• Indonesia (October 14): one of the sessions focused on the property industry as one of the drivers of Indonesia’s economic growth.
• Hong Kong (October 4): high profile speakers and experts addressed the intersection of housing and inclusion in a dynamic panel discussion.

After eight housing forums that spanned more than a decade, the call to action remains loud and clear. In the opening plenary, Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International, emphasized the need to raise the priority of housing because it directly impacts many other social issues. In closing, he asked, “What steps can we take to build upon the knowledge and successes of each other so we can draw nearer to a world where everyone has a decent place in which to live?”

The eighth Asia-Pacific Housing Forum is supported by the Hilti Foundation, Whirlpool Corporation, Agence Francaise de Developpement, Ayala Corporation, Ayala Land, PT Caturkarsa, and Somfy Foundation. Other partners include Asia Development Bank, Cadasta Foundation, Cities Alliance, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Total Quality PR, United Nations’ Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, UN-Habitat, UN Major Group for Children & Youth, University of New South Wales, and the World Bank.

Visit the Asia-Pacific Housing Forum website www.aphousingforum.org for more information.