Shelter is considered a basic human requirement, along with food, water, and clothing. It provides protection and security, and is essential for physical and emotional well-being.
Here are some reasons why shelter is considered a basic requirement:
- Protection from the elements: Shelter provides protection from extreme weather conditions such as heat, cold, rain, and snow, which can be life-threatening if left unaddressed.
- Safety and security: Shelter provides a safe and secure space where individuals can rest, sleep, and store their possessions without fear of theft, violence, or other threats.
- Health and hygiene: Shelter can promote good health and hygiene by providing access to clean water, sanitation facilities, and adequate ventilation to prevent the spread of disease.
- Privacy and dignity: Shelter provides individuals with a private space where they can relax, reflect, and maintain their sense of dignity and self-respect.
- Emotional well-being: Having a place to call home can provide a sense of stability, belonging, and community, which are important for emotional well-being.
Investments in shelter not only improve and expand the available stock of housing units, but also improve both the working and living environment. While it may be difficult to prove, there are impressionistic links between improvements in housing and increased productivity, health, and other measures of well being. Housing sector is employment intensive, it generates employment during its construction period and also during its life for proper maintenance.
The United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) uses a broader term “Settlement conditions” because it extends to all those components of the physical environment with which an individual or a community comes into contact and which are used on a regular basis for a whole range of human activities – the individual dwelling and its related services, the dwelling’s immediate surroundings, community facilities, transportation and communications network and so on.
UNCHS also known as Habitat, has identified some key settlement conditions that are necessary for achieving sustainable human settlements. These conditions include:
- Adequate shelter: Adequate shelter is a fundamental requirement for human well-being, and it should be affordable, secure, safe, and accessible to all.
- Basic services: Basic services such as water, sanitation, energy, and waste management are essential for human health, safety, and dignity.
- Sustainable land use: Sustainable land use refers to the management of land resources in a way that balances the needs of the environment, the economy, and society.
- Livelihood opportunities: Livelihood opportunities are important for promoting economic growth and social development, and they should be accessible to all members of the community.
- Social services: Social services such as health care, education, and community facilities are essential for promoting social cohesion and improving the quality of life in human settlements.
- Participatory planning and management: Participatory planning and management involve the active involvement of all stakeholders, including residents, in decision-making processes related to human settlement development.
- Good governance: Good governance is necessary for ensuring that settlements are developed and managed in an efficient, transparent, and accountable manner.
By promoting these settlement conditions, UNCHS aims to improve the quality of life in human settlements, reduce poverty and inequality, and enhance environmental sustainability.
While shelter is a basic requirement for all individuals, many people around the world do not have access to safe and secure housing. Homelessness, inadequate housing, and displacement due to conflict or natural disasters remain major challenges, highlighting the need for greater attention and resources to address the housing needs of all.
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