World Habitat Day is celebrated annually on the first Monday of October. The event focuses on the state of human settlements and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It also aims to remind people that they are responsible for the habitat of future generations.
World Habitat Day was established in 1985 by the UN General Assembly through Resolution 40/202, and was first celebrated in 1986.The global observation of the World Habitat Day 2020 will be hosted by the city of Surabaya, in Indonesia.The theme of World Habitat Day 2020 is Housing For All: A better Urban Future
Every October, UN-Habitat and partners organize a month of activities, events and discussions on urban sustainability. In 2020, Urban October activities will begin with World Habitat Day on 5 October. The purpose of World Habitat Day is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns.
Each year, World Habitat Day takes on a new theme to bring attention to UN-Habitat’s mandate to promote sustainable development policies that ensure adequate shelter for all.Habitat for Humanity works side by side with their global partners to work to provide homes for everyone who needs one, and encouraging people to work towards a better future for themselves and the world.
An important highlight of the day is the “Habitat Scroll of Honour” award, which was launched by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNHSP) in 1989. It is believed to be the world’s most prestigious human settlements award and aims to acknowledge initiatives that make outstanding contributions in areas such as shelter provision, highlighting the plight of the homeless, leadership in post conflict reconstruction, and developing and improving the human settlements and the quality of urban life.
The best way to celebrate World Habitat Day is by getting involved with your local Habitat for Humanity, there is always a need for more hands working to help bring proper housing to those who need it.The theme of World Habitat Day 2020 is Housing for all – A better urban future which aims to coordinate and share information at all levels with the concerned stakeholders to promote the idea of housing, shelter, and slum upgrading as central to the functions of cities in meeting residents’ needs.
It is a day where one needs to introspect about the changes recurring in urban life and taking up responsibility for each other and see that no one is without shelter. It is all about sustainable development and peaceful co-existence, especially in urban areas. World Habitat Day is observed to create awareness about our basic rights like shelter, food and clothing and also about our responsibilities towards improving the conditions of our neighborhoods. On this day, the UN conducts a number of events, activities, and discussions about sustainable development and the solutions towards achieving this.
This day is to remind us to be self-disciplined and be responsible citizens and to make us aware that we have the power to change, improve and reshape the future of our cities and living conditions of our fellow human beings.This day particularly focuses on improving all levels of partnership between Government and relevant stakeholders in successfully implementing policies and methods to ensure adequate and affordable homes to all. World Habitat day is observed to bring in awareness about various self-sustainable measures like proper waste management, recycling of waste products.
Housing is a basic human right. In the present scenario where social distancing and to remain at safe distance and maintaining good hygiene practice is just impossible without adequate housing. The absence of basic services and the prevalence of stress and unhealthy living conditions also contribute to poor health. People living in informal settlements and slum areas in populated countries are going to be the victims of the pandemic COVID 19. In the absence of proper primary health care centers and protective clothing and less access to medical care for women and children are the biggest uncertainties and crisis the world will have to face.World Habitat Day 2020 will coordinate and share information to promote the idea of housing, shelter, and slum upgrading as most imperative to the functions of cities in meeting residents’ needs. The pandemic has created an awareness that cities and local governments around the world can move towards eliminating inequalities and poverty levels and providing access to basic amenities like shelter, food water for all.
