Bangladeshi woman sitting on the side of a busy street in a maroon red sari.

Women’s Health + Informal Settlements

Home Equals 2025 research report

Informal Settlement Improvements and Women’s Health

A groundbreaking report, “Informal Settlement Improvements and Women’s Health,” from Habitat for Humanity International reveals that improving housing in informal settlements promotes positive health outcomes for women and entire communities, advancing sustainable development.

The findings of this evidence-based research are more relevant today than ever as over 1.1 billion people around the world live in slums or informal settlements. Women are overrepresented in these communities, often facing greater vulnerabilities than men due to prevailing beliefs and practices that limit their access to education, economic opportunities, rights and asset ownership.

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Discover how investing in slum upgrading yields health benefits for women living in informal settlements.

Key findings

Adequate housing can have profound health benefits for women. Habitat for Humanity found that within the first year, key improvements in informal settlement housing could lead to:

Green stethoscope

20.3 million illnesses prevented.
including respiratory infections, enteric infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, reproductive and urinary tract infections, and heat sickness.

Blue female gender symbol.

42.9 million incidents of gender-based 
violence prevented. 
including intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence. At least one of every 17 cases of sexual violence could be prevented if improvements in informal settlements are implemented. 

Red X.

80,200 preventable deaths avoided. 
At least one in four maternal deaths and one of every six deaths due to heat stroke could be avoided globally if improvements in informal settlements are implemented.

Bold actions to improve women’s health through housing

Habitat for Humanity International calls for bold, coordinated action to address the interconnected challenges of housing and women’s health and to prioritize solutions that elevate the unique needs of women living in informal settlements. 

Bangladeshi woman sitting on the ground washing pots in a yellow sari.

National and local governments must recognize the strong connections between housing and health and integrate gender-responsive and community-led health and housing solutions and upgrading initiatives as part of public health policies. 

A sink with a water spicket and dishes.

The donor community, especially Group of 7—or G7—member states, must embrace a more holistic approach to global health—one that recognizes adequate housing and comprehensive slum upgrading as foundational investments in well-being, resilience, and gender equality.

A family of three Brazilian woman smiling at the camera.

Implementing organizations must integrate gender-sensitive strategies into every initiative—Residents of informal settlements and their partners play a crucial role in improving evidence-based policymaking for women’s health, by promoting women’s leadership and addressing data gaps, especially in critical but overlooked aspects of adequate housing.

Finally, while these statistics are illuminating and should inspire immediate action, further analysis and more targeted interventions are limited by current data. 

It is essential for global actors to fill gender and location-specific data gaps—especially around housing quality in informal settlements—to understand and advance the health and wellbeing of these communities. 

  • Woman with daughter and granddaughter

    Home Equals

    Home Equals is a five-year global advocacy campaign committed to achieving policy change to ensure that people living in informal settlements have equitable access to adequate housing. Together, with partners, governments and communities, we can create lasting change.

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