Published on: 2026-05-07
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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“Housing is a door that opens the way to all other rights,” said actor and humanitarian activist Richard Gere, who joined the UN’s efforts to combat homelessness.
According to UN-Habitat, the agency responsible for sustainable urban development, the global housing crisis has become one of the most acute problems in the field of human rights: almost three billion people on Earth do not have access to decent housing.
More than a billion live in informal settlements; over 300 million face homelessness – both in the Global South and the North.
In Africa, 62 percent of urban housing belongs to the informal sector. In the Asia-Pacific region, more than 500 million people lack access to basic water services, and over one billion live without adequate sanitation.
In a video message supporting the upcoming conference, Gir emphasized the necessity of global action: “Without a safe home, there is neither health, nor education, nor stable employment.”
Homelessness is not just the absence of a roof over one’s head. It often means deprivation of basic rights: security, medical assistance, the right to private life, and human dignity.
This topic will become central at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum – the main global UN conference on sustainable urbanization, which will take place from May 17 to 22 in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku.
The forum under the slogan “Housing for peace: safe and sustainable cities and communities” brings together governments, civil society organizations, urban planners, private sector representatives, and youth to seek solutions to the growing housing crisis.
The Richard Gira HOGAR SÍ Foundation, dealing with housing issues, and UN-Habitat are joining forces to develop standards that guarantee each person access to decent housing. UN-Habitat Executive Director Anaclaudia Rossbach noted that this partnership aims to expand global cooperation in the face of growing urban challenges.
According to experts, homelessness is a consequence of society’s inability to provide its citizens with basic needs. Overcoming the crisis requires long-term political will, stronger social protection systems, and state policy that places housing at the center of attention.
“Homelessness is not inevitable. It is a profound injustice – and we can overcome it if we prioritize dignity and human solidarity,” emphasized Gir.
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