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The international, national and community-level work that World Habitat is supporting to allow communities to take control of their housing is illustrated in a new report published today.

The Global Community-led Housing Impact Report focuses on the ground-breaking work happening in favelas in Rio de Janeiro, in former refugee camps in Bangladesh and in countries across Central and South-Eastern Europe.

In Brazil, World Habitat has supported local partner, Catalytic Communities, to work with the Trapicheiros community in Rio de Janeiro through diverse workshops, events and door-to-door activities. They are now establishing the first Community Land Trust in the country, including developing legal processes to allow the model to be implemented nationally.

In Bangladesh, World Habitat’s partnership with the Council of Minorities is working to secure land and housing in two former refugee camps through a community-led process, resulting in a Community Land Trust, or a suitable alternative.

World Habitat has also supported the launch of MOBA Housing SCE – a network of emerging housing initiatives in Central and South-Eastern Europe. In just three years, MOBA Housing SCE is now undertaking several key activities to create an ‘enabling environment’ for housing co-operatives across the region.

In addition, World Habitat has been a key partner in developing and maintaining the global CoHabitat Network, an international community-led housing network facilitated by the Swiss-French NGO urbaMonde and involving key global organisations. This has included the creation and delivery of key tools, regional hubs for peer-learning and Network Awards to celebrate and share best practices.

Mariangela Veronesi, Programme Lead for Community-led Housing at World Habitat, said:

“Around the world, too many people are caught between unaffordable or inadequate housing in the private market, and a lack of good-quality public housing. In parallel, speculation around high-cost housing developments and rising land values increasingly displace many communities from the land they cherish and call home.

“In response, some communities have taken control and provided their own solutions. They have developed housing to fit their needs, aspirations and values. And all have one thing in common – they are community-led with local people taking the lead.

“At World Habitat, we believe housing is a fundamental human right – and that people-led housing is an exciting and sustainable solution to the urgent need for affordable, high-quality housing. We have established the Global Community-Led Housing programme – to support and nourish the growth of this vital approach – as an important contribution to establishing and providing safe and secure housing for everyone.”

The report is available as a free download here.

Image: Catalytic Communities


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