UN-Habitat has issued a stark warning about the escalating global housing crisis, with 2.8 billion people lacking adequate housing and over 1.1 billion living in slums and informal settlements.
The agency's 2024 Annual Report highlights the urgent need for transformative action, revealing that 96,000 new housing units must be built daily to meet adequate housing needs by 2030—equivalent to constructing one home every second.
"The global housing crisis is no longer just about housing—it is a wake-up call for action," said UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach, emphasising how climate change, conflicts, and natural disasters are forcing millions to abandon their homes.
UN-Habitat's 2024 Impact
Despite the daunting challenges, UN-Habitat demonstrated significant progress across multiple fronts:
- 205,000 people in 27 cities gained access to basic services like water and clean energy
- 98,700 households secured improved land tenure documentation
- 68,000 additional people gained access to public transport and sustainable mobility
- Over 237 million people benefited indirectly from improved urban planning processes in 74 cities
- 64 countries received support for national urban policy development
- 27 countries enhanced their urban data collection capabilities
The report underscores housing as a fundamental human right while highlighting how inadequate shelter limits access to employment, healthcare, education, and social security—perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality worldwide.
Download the full report here.