World Habitat Day

On World Habitat Day, celebrated on the first Monday of October, the goal is to raise awareness about the state of the cities and the fundamental right of all people to sufficient shelter. It also reminds the globe of its shared responsibility for the future of the human environment. Also, according to the United Nations, before the coronavirus pandemic, over 1.8 billion people lived in poverty, informal settlements, insufficient housing, or were homeless in cities worldwide.

World Habitat Day

Food, clothes, shelter, medical care, and education are all examples of fundamental civil rights, and these are important. A shelter is essential only when food and clothing have been secured. And as the population increases, getting such a refuge becomes more difficult.

Every year on the first Monday in October, the United Nations recognizes World Habitat Day as a time to focus on the state of cities and the fundamental right of all people to appropriate housing. The United Nations General Assembly announced it in December 1985, and the first time it was marked was in 1986, and 1.6 billion people, according to estimates, live in substandard housing, and one billion of them live in squatter camps.

How is World Habitat Day Celebrated?

The United Nations in 1985 established World Habitat Day. The ultimate goal was to raise awareness about the state of our cities and the fundamental right of all people to sufficient shelter. It also serves as a reminder to the globe of its shared responsibility for the future of the human environment. While low-income renters have always struggled with affordability, even middle-income families have more difficulty, especially in locations with strong job markets. Individuals are greatly influenced by where they can afford to live. 

According to studies, children who grow up in high-opportunity neighborhoods perform better financially as adults. Cities and localities with solid job markets and good schools, where housing is in high demand, do not build nearly enough new housing, resulting in soaring housing costs. Our most significant problem is the same problem that the rest of the globe faces: habitat degradation.

Let nature be your teacher as you step into the light of things.

Reforming land use regulations to allow smaller, more compact homes, raising taxes on expensive, underutilized property, and providing housing subsidies to low-income households will all help to improve housing affordability.

Activities for World Habitat Day 2021

A carbon-free future was the theme of World Habitat Day 2021. Going from urban action toward a carbon-resistance world is a topic for World Habitat Day in 2021. Cities contribute over 70-75% of worldwide CO2 emissions, with transportation, buildings, electricity, and waste management accounting for most of these emissions. In 2021, World Habitat Day was observed widely by bringing ministers and mayors from several countries together to discuss the special day. The lady of Turkey herself explained climate issues and how we can live in a better environment with better rules and follow them easily. Nobel prize winners, national football players, and other celebs who are genuinely concerned about the well-being and our environment came forward to put their words about how we can make our environment better.

Significance & Summary

Habitat serves more than just as a safe shelter for humans. Around 30 years ago, the United Nations General Assembly initiated a considerable step forward to promote the notion that every individual deserves a decent place to live. It was then that October 1st was established as World Habitat Day. This day is intended to promote awareness about the fundamental human right to shelter and remind people that they are obligated to protect the habitats of future generations. In 1986, Nairobi, Kenya, hosted the first World Habitat Day, with the theme Shelter is My Right. To observe World Habitat Day, one must take an oath to ensure that all citizens of the country have access to education and shelter. That is something that both, the wealthy and the poor, understand.