Habitat for Humanity encourages United Nations to set a sustainable cities goal in Post-2015 Agenda
Habitat for Humanity encourages United Nations to set a sustainable cities goal in Post-2015 Agenda
BRATISLAVA/ATLANTA (Jan. 28, 2014) — Habitat for Humanity is urging the U.N. to include a focus on sustainable cities and adequate housing in the forthcoming replacement to the Millennium Development Goals, which are set to expire in 2015.
The eighth and final meeting of the U.N.’s Open Working Group on Sustainable Development will take place Feb. 3-7 in New York City. This meeting is the final opportunity for the U.N. to gather input for a new set of development goals, known as the Post-2015 Agenda.
“Adequate housing is a basic human need that is closely linked to other development objectives such as ending extreme poverty, improving health care, furthering education and providing access to clean water and proper sanitation,” said Chris Vincent, Habitat for Humanity International’s director of congressional relations. “Including housing in a sustainable cities goal in the Post-2015 Agenda would keep a critical focus on the 1.6 billion people in need of adequate housing around the world.”
Following on the heels of the recent seventh Open Working Group meeting, which partially focused on “sustainable cities and human settlement, sustainable transport,” Habitat for Humanity and other international development advocates around the world are calling for the U.N. to preserve a focus on sustainable cities in general and adequate housing in particular.
- Read more about Habitat’s Post-2015 work.
- Read previous Habitat blogs on Post-2015 about sustainable cities and urbanization.
- Read Habitat’s statement in advance of the OWG 7 meeting.
- Learn how you can add your voice to the call for this important SDG.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International’s vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Anchored by the conviction that housing provides a critical foundation for breaking the cycle of poverty, Habitat has helped more than 4 million people construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes since 1976. Habitat also advocates to improve access to decent and affordable shelter and supports a variety of funding models that enable families with limited resources to make needed improvements on their homes as their time and resources allow. As a nonprofit Christian housing organization, Habitat works in more than 70 countries and welcomes people of all races, religions and nationalities to partner in its mission. To learn more, donate or volunteer visit www.habitateurope.org.